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Fine dust pollution from cooking: how cooking & frying affects your health
Let's start a little thought experiment: you are preparing dinner in your kitchen. The oil in the pan sizzles, the smell of fresh vegetables and fried eggs fills the room. What you can't see, however, are the tiny fine dust particles that are released into the air every time you cook. These particles, which are released when food and oils are heated, can penetrate deep into the respiratory tract and cause inflammation.
Long-term exposure to particulates can lead to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular problems and a worsening of existing health conditions. Especially in enclosed spaces where particles cannot easily escape, it is important to keep an eye on air quality and take measures to reduce exposure.
We wanted to know how much particulates is released during frying. We were also interested in whether the natural air purifier Briiv could influence the measurement results. We therefore used our air-Q air measuring device to investigate the development of the measured value during two different tests: once with the Briiv and once without the air purifier.
Briiv - the natural air purifier
The Briiv is an air purifier that uses natural materials such as moss, coconut fibers and wool to improve indoor air quality. With the help of AI-supported sensors, Briiv detects and filters particulates, pollutants and odors from the air. According to the manufacturer, the air purifier should noticeably clean the air in small to medium-sized rooms. In our two-stage experiment, we compared the fine dust pollution when cooking with and without Briiv use.
air-Q Lab Fine dust development during cooking: Two days, two scenarios
We conducted the air-Q experiment to test the effectiveness of the natural air purifier Briiv in reducing particulates in indoor air. The same dish - a fried egg with four zucchini slices - was prepared on two consecutive days. On the first day the Briiv air purifier was active and on the second day it was not.
This air-Q Lab is not a scientific experiment, but rather a real-life test. Both the test environment and the local conditions were not manipulated, but were subject to natural fluctuations. The self-test therefore reflects real conditions in a kitchen, but does not meet scientific standards.
air-Q Lab Day 1: Cooking with the Briiv air purifier
The experiment started at 17:18 on the first day. The kitchen was ventilated beforehand so that the initial values were below 15 μg/m³ (micrograms per cubic meter).
The air quality was monitored throughout the test with the air-Q air monitor and the Briiv was active at the highest level during the cooking process. Shortly after starting the roast, particulate matter levels increased exponentially within a short period of three minutes. After the first peak of just under 100 μg/m³ was reached, the curve grew linearly for a further ten minutes. At around 17:37, the air-Q recorded the following maximum values for the particulate matter values PM₁, PM₂,₅ and PM₁₀ :
- PM₁: 133 µg/m³
- PM₂,₅: 122 µg/m³
- PM₁₀: 86 µg/m³
After the roast was finished at 17:28, the particulate matter levels fell steadily again. A further hour later, the measurement at 18:28 showed that the values had dropped significantly. A clear reduction of around 60 % was observed for all fine dust particle sizes. The exact values are distributed as follows:
- PM₁: 54.1 µg/m³, this means a decrease of 59.32 %
- PM₂,₅: 44.2 µg/m³ (decrease of 63.77 %)
- PM₁₀: 31.1 µg/m³ (decrease of 63.72 %)
air-Q Lab Day 2: Cooking without the Briiv air purifier
On the second day, cooking began at 18:54, but without the use of the Briiv. Here too, the air values were measured continuously with the air-Q air measuring device. The initial particulate matter value was approx. 12 μg/m³. Compared to the previous day's test, the measured value rose much more slowly - until the highest particulate matter value was measured at 19:21. The fine dust pollution is distributed as follows across the respective particle sizes:
- PM₁: 67.8 µg/m³
- PM₂,₅: 93.6 µg/m³
- PM₁₀: 100.5 µg/m³
In direct comparison to the first test, the maximum values were significantly lower. After roasting, the fine dust levels dropped again. A continuous curve is also evident here. However, after approx. 30 minutes there was another small increase of around 20 μg/m³. Looking at the measured value development after one hour (at 20:05), the following values were recorded:
- PM₁: 34 µg/m³ (decrease of 49.85%)
- PM₂,₅: 48.3 µg/m³ (decrease of 48.40%)
- PM₁₀: 59.9 µg/m³ (decrease of 40.38%)
Conclusion: Cooking with & without Briiv air purifier - comparison of results & interpretation
The comparison of the two days clearly shows that the Briiv air purifier plays an effective role in reducing particulates . With Briiv, particulate matter levels fell faster and more sharply than without. It should be noted that the initial values on the second day were not as high as on the first, which influences the calculations.
Possible causes for lower particulate matter levels on the second day:
- Ventilation conditions: There may have been better ventilation in the room on the second day.
- Environmental factors: Temperature, humidity or air currents could have been different. (Fresh laundry that dries increases the humidity in the room - fine dust particles bind to it)
- Cooking behavior: Slight differences in the cooking process, such as the cooking temperature, could also have played a role.
It is important to note that the particulates can be reduced more quickly with lower initial values. This means that the percentage differences may have been even greater if the initial values had been more comparable. Nevertheless, the experiment clearly shows that the use of the Briiv significantly improved the air quality after cooking.
Do you also want to monitor the air quality when cooking? Then get to know our air-Q air measuring device and the different models better now.
