Residual tobacco smoke pollution in used cars for sale: Air, dust, and surfaces

Abstract

Regular tobacco use in the enclosed environment of a car raises concerns about longer-term contamination of a car's microenvironment with residual secondhand smoke pollutants. This study (a) developed and compared methods to measure residual contamination of cars with secondhand smoke, (b) examined whether cars of smokers and nonsmokers were contaminated by secondhand smoke, and (c) how smoking behavior and restrictions affected contamination levels. Surface wipe, dust, and air samples were collected in used cars sold by nonsmokers (n = 20) and smokers (n = 87) and analyzed for nicotine. Sellers were interviewed about smoking behavior and restrictions, and car interiors were inspected for signs of tobacco use. Cars of smokers who smoked in their vehicles showed significantly elevated levels of nicotine (p < .001) in dust, on surfaces, and in the air compared with nonsmoker cars with smoking ban. When smokers imposed car smoking bans, air nicotine levels were significantly lower (p < .01), but dust and surface contamination levels remained at similar levels. Smoking more cigarettes in the car and overall higher smoking rate of the seller were significantly associated with higher secondhand smoke contamination of the car (p < .001). Use of a cutpoint for nicotine levels from surface wipe samples correctly identified 82% of smoker cars without smoking bans, 75% of smoker cars with bans, and 100% of nonsmoker cars. Surface nicotine levels provide a relatively inexpensive and accurate method to identify cars and other indoor environments contaminated with residual secondhand smoke. Disclosure requirements and smoke-free certifications could help protect nonsmoking buyers of used cars.

Counseling to reduce children's secondhand smoke exposure and help parents quit smoking: A controlled trial

“…Our research has found that indoor surfaces, dust, and air in smokers ' homes showed nicotine concentrations 5 -7 times higher than nonsmokers ' homes, and homes of smokers who reported always smoking outside had intermediate levels of contamination ( Matt et al, 2004 ). Cars of smokers without car smoking bans showed signifi cantly higher levels of nicotine in dust, on surfaces, and in the air compared with nonsmokers ' cars with smoking bans ( p < .001), and dust and surface nicotine in cars of smokers who had imposed car smoking bans were at similar levels as for smokers ' cars without bans ( Matt et al, 2008 ). Young children are at high risk of SHSe through dust and surface contamination because they spend more time near fl oors.…”

¿Alguna vez llega realmente a despejarse el humo?: La exposición al humo de tercera mano suscita nuevas preocupaciones

“…12 En 2008 se reportaron hallazgos similares en los autos. 13 Se detectaron cantidades significativamente mayores en el polvo (media de 19.51 μg/g) y en los tableros (media de 8.61 μg/ m 2 ) de 78 vehículos pertenecientes a personas que fumaban en sus vehículos que en el polvo (media de 3.37 μg/g) y en los tableros (media de 0.06 μg/m 2 ) de 20 vehículos de no fumadores. Ocho fumadores habían impuesto una prohibición de fumar en sus vehículos durante por lo menos 12 meses.…”

The behavioral ecology of secondhand smoke exposure: A pathway to complete tobacco control

“…Such contamination can be a source of thirdhand exposure when the child comes in contact with contaminated surfaces or breathes the air when such contamination " off-gasses " ( Matt et al, , 2008a. Children are more likely to engage in fl oor contact and hand-to-mouth behavior (e.g., putting contaminated objects in their mouths), and, compared with adults, their higher rate of respiration may result in greater inhalation of off-gassing from cigarette smoke contaminants.…”

“…Parents are sensitive when studies use cotinine biomarkers, nicotine wipes, air dosimeters, and vacuuming of dust samples from homes and cars ( Matt et al, , 2008a.…”