All Publications


  • Gas and Propane Combustion from Stoves Emits Benzene and Increases Indoor Air Pollution. Environmental science & technology Kashtan, Y. S., Nicholson, M., Finnegan, C., Ouyang, Z., Lebel, E. D., Michanowicz, D. R., Shonkoff, S. B., Jackson, R. B. 2023

    Abstract

    Exposure pathways to the carcinogen benzene are well-established from tobacco smoke, oil and gas development, refining, gasoline pumping, and gasoline and diesel combustion. Combustion has also been linked to the formation of nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde indoors from gas stoves. To our knowledge, however, no research has quantified the formation of benzene indoors from gas combustion by stoves. Across 87 homes in California and Colorado, natural gas and propane combustion emitted detectable and repeatable levels of benzene that in some homes raised indoor benzene concentrations above well-established health benchmarks. Mean benzene emissions from gas and propane burners on high and ovens set to 350 °F ranged from 2.8 to 6.5 μg min-1, 10 to 25 times higher than emissions from electric coil and radiant alternatives; neither induction stoves nor the food being cooked emitted detectable benzene. Benzene produced by gas and propane stoves also migrated throughout homes, in some cases elevating bedroom benzene concentrations above chronic health benchmarks for hours after the stove was turned off. Combustion of gas and propane from stoves may be a substantial benzene exposure pathway and can reduce indoor air quality.

    View details for DOI 10.1021/acs.est.2c09289

    View details for PubMedID 37319002

  • Universities: cut research links with fossil-fuel companies. Nature Kashtan, Y., Toweh, J., Hersbach, T. J. 2022; 612 (7940): 404

    View details for DOI 10.1038/d41586-022-04404-x

    View details for PubMedID 36513836

  • Modulated Amplitude Reflectance Spectroscopy to Spatially Map Charge Carrier Density and Mobility in Organic Field Effect Transistors Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science APS/DLS Kashtan, Y., Espinoza, R., Tanenbaum, D., Hudgings, J. 2019
  • Thorium lends a fiery hand NATURE CHEMISTRY Arnold, J., Gianetti, T. L., Kashtan, Y. 2014; 6 (6): 554

    View details for DOI 10.1038/nchem.1952

    View details for Web of Science ID 000336897800020

    View details for PubMedID 24848244