An investigation of cooking-related pollutants in the residential sector

In the residential sector, there are several indoor sources of pollutants related to activities such as cooking, cleaning and heating, besides those from occupants, building materials, finishing and furniture. Considering these sources, the kitchen appears as the space in the house that has the largest number of sources, with cooking being the most relevant source. In addition, meal preparation generates derivative processes related to cleaning utensils and the environment, in which detergents, air fresheners and other categories of cleaning products are used. The main goal of this study is to understand the main indoor pollutants in-kitchen, their source and transformation to further contribute to improve indoor air quality (IAQ). Therefore, an investigation focused on cooking-related pollutants is shown in the present study. The sources of pollutant related to the cooking process are separated in three main categories: the first is the type of fuel and stove, the second is related to the type of procedure used to prepare the food (frying, grilling, steaming, boiling and roasting processes) and the third is related to the type of food. The cleaning process including surface cleaners and dishwashing detergents is also discussed.