Exposure reductions associated with introduction of solar lamps to kerosene lamp-using households in Busia County, Kenya
Open accessAbstract
Solar lamps are a clean and potentially cost-effective alternative to polluting kerosene lamps used by millions of families in developing countries. By how much solar lamps actually reduce exposure to pollutants, however, has not been examined. Twenty households using mainly kerosene for lighting were enrolled through a secondary school in Busia County, Kenya. Personal PM2.5 and CO concentrations were measured on a school pupil and an adult in each household, before and after provision of 3 solar lamps. PM2.5 concentrations were measured in main living areas, pupils' bedrooms, and kitchens. Usage sensors measured use of kerosene and solar lighting devices. Ninety percent of baseline kerosene lamp use was displaced at 1-month follow-up, corresponding to average PM2.5 reductions of 61% and 79% in main living areas and pupils' bedrooms, respectively. Average 48-h exposure to PM2.5 fell from 210 to 104 μg/m3 (−50%) among adults, and from 132 to 35 μg/m3 (−73%) among pupils. Solar lamps displaced most kerosene lamp use in at least the short term. If sustained, this could mitigate health impacts of household air pollution in some contexts. Achieving safe levels of exposure for all family members would likely require also addressing use of solid-fuel stoves.
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A pre-post comparison in peri-urban Kenya found high uptake of pico-solar lamps and average personal PM2.5 reductions above 50% among exclusive kerosene lamp users over a three-month follow-up.
“results from a pre-post comparison of personal PM2.5 exposure after introduction of pico-solar lamps in peri-urban Kenya showed both high uptake of the solar lamps as well as average reductions in excess of 50% to personal PM2.5 exposure among exclusive kerosene lamp users over a short three-month follow-up period 18.”
From Effect of a solar lighting intervention on fuel-based lighting use and exposure to household air pollution in rural Uganda: A randomized controlled trial (2022) · cites this paper as [18]
The Abstract reports 90% displacement of kerosene-lamp use and reductions in average personal PM2.5 exposure of 50% for adults and 73% for pupils. But §2.1 says follow-up measurements occurred after 3–4 weeks, not three months; the Abstract describes households using mainly, not exclusively, kerosene for lighting. Pages are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.89)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredA previous Kenyan study found that after portable solar lamps were introduced, the relative PM2.5 exposure reduction among teenagers was on average 1.5 times greater than among the primary cook.
“Results from a previous study in Kenya18, for example, showed that the relative reduction in PM2.5 exposure following introduction of portable solar lamps among teenagers was 1.5 times greater than the primary cook on average.”
From Effect of a solar lighting intervention on fuel-based lighting use and exposure to household air pollution in rural Uganda: A randomized controlled trial (2022) · cites this paper as [18]
The Abstract reports average PM2.5 exposure reductions of 73% among school pupils and 50% among adults—approximately a 1.5-fold difference. However, the Methods (section 2.2) identify the adults as kerosene-lamp users, not specifically as primary cooks, so that description of the comparison group is not established. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredA published before-after pilot study of solar lamps in rural Kenya suggests that the PM2.5 contribution could be much larger for household members who do not cook.
“Results from a published before-after pilot study of solar lamps conducted in rural Kenya suggest the contribution to PM2.5 could be much greater for household members that do not perform cooking tasks18.”
From Effect of a solar lighting intervention on fuel-based lighting use and exposure to household air pollution in rural Uganda: A randomized controlled trial (2022) · cites this paper as [18]
Introduction of three pico-solar lamps to nonelectrified households mainly using kerosene lamps reduced 48-h personal exposure to fine particles in adults and school children by 52-73%.
“Lam and colleagues provided three pico-solar lamps to nonelectrified households mainly using kerosene lamps, and threefour weeks later, the 48-h personal exposure to fine particles in adults and school children living in the household was reduced by 52-73% (Lam et al., 2018).”
From Kerosene-based lighting: an overlooked source of exposure to household air pollution? (2020) · cites this paper as Lam et al., 2018
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- Authors
- Lam, N. L., Muhwezi, G., Isabirye, F., Harrison, K., Ruiz-Mercado, I., Amukoye, E., Mokaya, T., Wambua, M., & Bates, M. N.
- Affiliations
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
- Center for Integrated Research and Community Development Uganda (CIRCODU); Kampala Uganda
- SolarAid (GB)
- Secretaría de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación (MX)
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KE)
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- Corresponding author
- Bates, M. N.
- Venue
- Indoor Air
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2017-10-31
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 218-227
- ISSN
- 0905-6947 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2761977948
- Cited by
- 30
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 1.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Indoor Air (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Google Ireland Limited & Solar Aid (London) (20150370)
- Google Ireland Limited and SolarAid (London)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA RD-83542301)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Energy and Environment Impacts
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
- Keywords
- solar lamps, kerosene lamps, household air pollution, PM2.5 exposure, carbon monoxide, indoor air quality, children's exposure, clean cooking technologies, Busia County
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Environmental Exposure, Environmental Monitoring, Family Characteristics, Female, Humans, Kenya, Kerosene, Lighting, Male, Solar Energy, Air Pollution, Indoor
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