Health impacts in South-central Chile due to misuse of wood-burning stoves

Health impacts in South-central Chile due to misuse of wood-burning stoves

dc.date	2013-12-30
dc.date.accessioned	2015-01-19T12:16:07Z
dc.date.available	2015-01-19T12:16:07Z
dc.date.issued	2015-01-19
dc.description.abstract	After the episode that occurred in London in December of 1952 in which more than four thousand people died as a result of acute exposure to atmospheric contaminants (particulate matter and sulfur dioxide, principally), there are no doubts that air quality has an important effect on the health of the population. Exposure to air and the intake of air and its components are permanent and obligatory. “We can choose the water we drink and the food that we eat, but we cannot choose the air that we breathe.” Given that a person inhales between 13 and 15 m3 (between 13,000 or 15,000 liters), it is understood that humans are highly vulnerable to atmospheric pollution. As is shown in Fig. 1, in many cities in the central and southern parts of Chile, (Rancagua, Talca, Chillán, Gran Concepción, Los Angeles, Temuco, Osorno, Valdivia and Coyhaique) the problem of atmospheric pollution from particulate matter (PM) exists [Ministerio del Medio Ambiente, 2011]. This agent is principally emitted by wood stoves and ovens that use firewood, due to the bad practices or misuse of these devices, such as the burning of wet wood (humidity over 25%) in articles of precarious technology, that are additionally operated in an undesirable manner (closure of air intakes). Also, the consumption of firewood is excessive, due to the poor quality or lack of thermal insulation in homes. In these same cities, during the winter period, it is frequent that health centers are collapsed by the grand number of visits associated with respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses in children and the elderly, primarily. However, it is important to ask, “Are all respiratory illnesses caused by atmospheric pollution?” As well as, “What percentage is attributable to poor air quality?” If the concentrations of PM decrease as a consequence of a Decontamination Plan, will there be less occurrence of respiratory diseases? This study has the principle objective of answering these questions, as well as the explanation of PMs and their health risks for humans.	es_ES
dc.format	PDF	es_ES
dc.identifier.citation	Electronic Journal of Energy & Environment, Vol. 1, Nº 3, 65-71, 2013
dc.identifier.doi	10.7770/ejee-V1N3-art660	es_ES
dc.identifier.issn	0719-269X	es_ES
dc.identifier.uri	https://repositoriodigital.uct.cl/handle/10925/1649
dc.language.iso	en	es_ES
dc.rights	This journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License	es_ES
dc.source	Electronic Journal of Energy & Environment	es_ES
dc.subject	Estufas a leña	es_ES
dc.subject	Contaminación Atmosférica	es_ES
dc.subject	Uso de leña	es_ES
dc.subject	Polución	es_ES
dc.subject	Calidad del aire	es_ES
dc.subject	Salud pública	es_ES
dc.title	Health impacts in South-central Chile due to misuse of wood-burning stoves	es_ES
dc.type	Artículo de Revista	es_ES
uct.carrera	Agronomía	es_ES
uct.carrera	Ingeniería Civil Ambiental	es_ES
uct.carrera	Ingeniería Civil Química	es_ES
uct.carrera	Ingeniería en Recursos Naturales Renovables	es_ES
uct.catalogador	rgf	es_ES
uct.comunidad	Recursos Naturales	es_ES
uct.facultad	Facultad de Ingeniería	es_ES
uct.facultad	Facultad de Recursos Naturales	es_ES
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uct.nucleos	Núcleo en Energías Renovables	es_ES