Lydia Evans

Indoor air pollution released by kitchen ranges during cooking is an understudied public health issue despite known correlations between gas range use and respiratory problems, most commonly asthma. This study aimed to quantify residential air pollution from kitchen ranges in New York City apartments. Indoor nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels were measured before, during, and after stove usage for different fuel types, specifically natural gas, electric, and electric induction. Gas stovetops generated consistently higher NO2 levels than induction and electric ranges; the average of 13 gas stovetop trials surpassed recommended levels for sensitive groups defined by the EPA and WHO (0.099 ppm) by reaching 0.147 ppm. Emissions for gas stovetops were almost three times higher than emissions from induction and electric burners, which remained close to baseline throughout the experiment. Notably, the average baseline NO2 level, measured prior to range use, in apartments with gas stoves was higher than in those with electric stoves by a factor of 1.3 (p-value = 0.0002), demonstrating that gas stoves may impact indoor air quality even when not in use. The baseline NO2 levels in apartments with gas ranges were three times higher than outdoor NO2 levels measured by neighborhood sensors (New York City Community Air Survey, 2022). Finally, during their lunch rush, we tested NO2 levels in three commercial kitchens. While the total average of each restaurant remained healthy, two of the three restaurants reached levels of 0.208 ppm and 0.138 ppm, which are unhealthy levels for sensitive groups. Our work shows a significant difference in pollution associated with gas ranges compared to electric ranges, indicating a clear health risk, especially to vulnerable populations. This study supports legislation encouraging transitioning to electric and induction ranges in urban areas.

2023 Terra NYC STEM Fair Finalist

2024 Regneron STS participant

2024 2nd place Environmental Science NYC Metro Regional JSHS semifinals

2024 3rd place finalist NYC Metro Regional JSHS 

2024 1st place Environmental Science Poster JSHS Nationals 

Research Paper