Indoor air pollution from the household combustion of coal: Tempo-spatial distribution of gaseous pollutants and semi-quantification of source contribution.

Coal is a widely used solid fuel for cooking and heating activities in rural households, whose incomplete combustion in inefficient household stoves releases a range of gaseous pollutants. To evaluate the impact of coal combustion on indoor air quality, this study comprehensively investigated the indoor air pollution of typical gaseous pollutants, including formaldehyde (HCHO), carbon dioxide (CO), carbon monoxide (CO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), and methane (CH), during coal combustion process in rural households using online monitoring with high tempo-spatial resolution. The indoor concentrations of gaseous pollutants were considerably elevated during the coal combustion period, with the indoor concentrations being significantly higher than those in courtyard air.