The infiltration of wildfire smoke and its potential dose on pregnant women: Lessons learned from Indonesia wildfires in 2019

The occurrence of wildfires in Indonesia is prevalent during drought seasons. Multiple toxic pollutants emitted from wildfires have deleterious effects on pregnant women. However, the evidence for these on pregnant women was underreported. The study conducted 24-h monitoring of fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) concentrations indoors and outdoors in 9 low-income homes in Palangka Raya during the 2019 wildfire season and 6 low-income homes during the 2019 non-wildfire season. A hundred and seventy pregnant women had their PM exposure assessed between July and October 2019 using personal monitors. It was observed that outdoor air pollutant levels were greater than those found indoors without indoor sources. The findings indicate that indoor PM(2.5) concentrations were modestly increased by 1.2 times higher than outdoor, suggesting that buildings only partially protected people from exposure during wildfires. The concentrations of PM(2.5) were found to be comparatively higher indoors in residential buildings with wood material than in brick houses. The study findings indicate that 8 out of 12 brick houses exhibited a notable RI/O(24 h) of less than 1 during the wildfires, whereas all I/O(24 h) ratios during the non-wildfire season were >1, suggesting the influence of indoor sources. Based on the estimation of daily PM(2.5) dose, pregnant women received around 21% of their total daily dose during sedentary activity involving cooking. The present research offers empirical support for the view that indoor air quality in low-income households is affected by a complex combination of factors, including wildfire smoke, air tightness, and occupant behaviour. Also, this situation is more likely a potential risk to pregnant women being exposed to wildfire smoke.