Health effects of wood smoke

Wood smoke is a major source of air pollution,^[1][2][3][4] especially particulate pollution,^[2] polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)^[5] and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)^[2] such as formaldehyde.^[6]

Severity in cities

In the United Kingdom domestic combustion is the largest single source of PM2.5 annually.^[7][8] In some towns and cities in New South Wales, wood smoke may be responsible for 60% of fine particle air pollution in the winter.^[9] A year-long sampling campaign in Athens, Greece found a third (31%) of PAH urban air pollution to be caused by wood-burning, as much as that of diesel and oil (33%) and gasoline (29%). It also found that wood-burning is responsible for nearly half (43%) of annual PAH cancer-risk compared to the other sources and that wintertime PAH levels were 7 times higher than in other seasons. The largest exposure events are periods during the winter with reduced atmospheric dispersion, in particular low wind speeds.^[5]

Detrimental health effects

Wood smoke can cause lung damage,^[10][11] artery damage and DNA damage^[12] leading to cancer,^[13][14] other respiratory and lung disease and cardiovascular disease.^[9][15] Air pollution, particulate matter and wood smoke may also cause brain damage^{[16][17][18][19]} and increase the risk of developmental disorders,^{[20][21][22][23]} neurodegenerative disorders^[24][25] mental disorders,^[26][27][28] and suicide,^[26][28] although studies on the link between depression and some air pollutants are not consistent.^[29] At least one study has identified "the abundant presence in the human brain of magnetite nanoparticles that match precisely the high-temperature magnetite nanospheres, formed by combustion and/or friction-derived heating, which are prolific in urban, airborne particulate matter (PM)."^[30] Air pollution has also been linked to a range of other psychosocial problems.^[27]

References