Did you know that using your gas stove at home might be filling your house with tiny particles that could harm your health?
A study by researchers at Purdue University has found something surprising: cooking on a gas stove can release more of these tiny particles into the air than the exhaust from cars and trucks.
When we talk about air pollution, we often think of outdoor sources like vehicles.
However, the air inside our homes can also become polluted, and one source of this indoor pollution is cooking on a gas stove.
The Purdue study looked at really small particles, called nanoparticles, which are so tiny that they can move deep into our lungs and even into other organs.
The researchers found that gas stoves emit loads of these nanoparticles, especially when cooking. These particles are so small that we can’t see them with our eyes, but they can get into our respiratory system very easily.
The study used advanced air quality instruments to measure the particles while cooking in a specially designed tiny house lab.
This lab is just like a regular home but equipped with special sensors to closely watch the air quality.
The tests showed that cooking on a gas stove could release as many as 10 quadrillion nanoparticles for every kilogram of gas used. That’s a number so huge, it’s hard to imagine!
These nanoparticles from cooking can be 10 to 100 times more than what you’d breathe in from car exhaust if you were standing on a busy street.
This finding is especially concerning because previous studies have shown that children living in homes with gas stoves have a higher chance of developing asthma.
The study suggests that these nanoparticles don’t just stay in the kitchen; they spread throughout the house. When you boil water, make grilled cheese, or cook pancakes on a gas stove, trillions of nanoparticles are released.
Some of these particles will stick to surfaces around the house, but many can be breathed in, posing health risks, particularly to children who would receive higher concentrations due to their smaller size.
Interestingly, the study also found that these tiny particles from the gas could mix with particles from cooking oils or butter, creating new types of particles that behave differently.
The research team suggests using a kitchen exhaust fan to help move these particles away from the air we breathe.
However, since most people don’t habitually use their exhaust fan when cooking, an automatic kitchen hood could be a practical solution.
This study is a call to action to be more aware of the air quality inside our homes, especially when using gas stoves.
The researchers believe that based on their findings, these nanoparticles should be recognized as a specific category of air pollutant. This could help in creating strategies to reduce our exposure to indoor air pollution, making our homes safer and healthier places to live.
Source: Purdue University.
