Tobacco smoke particles and indoor air quality (ToPIQ) - the protocol of a new study

Abstract

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a major contributor to indoor air pollution. Since decades it is well documented that ETS can be harmful to human health and causes premature death and disease. In comparison to the huge research on toxicological substances of ETS, less attention was paid on the concentration of indoor ETS-dependent particulate matter (PM). Especially, investigation that focuses on different tobacco products and their concentration of deeply into the airways depositing PM-fractions (PM10, PM2.5 and PM1) must be stated. The tobacco smoke particles and indoor air quality study (ToPIQS) will approach this issue by device supported generation of indoor ETS and simultaneously measurements of PM concentration by laser aerosol spectrometry. Primarily, the ToPIQ study will conduct a field research with focus on PM concentration of different tobacco products and within various microenvironments. It is planned to extend the analysis to basic research on influencing factors of ETS-dependent PM concentration.

Investigation of Suspended and Settled Particulate Matter in Indoor Air"

“…Mechanical and/or natural ventilation and infiltration define air exchange rate, and thereby the amount of outdoor particles penetrating into the building interior. The efficiency of filters integrated in mechanical ventilation systems and natural ventilation by open windows allows the estimations of particle penetration in the dependence on outdoor aerosol concentration, whereas infiltration through cracks in the building envelope is uncontrolled and depends not only on physical properties of contaminated air but mainly on particle deposition on surface cracks [18,19].…”

High Particulate Matter Burden of Cigarettes from the United Arab Emirates and Germany: Are There Country-Specific Differences?

“…This study, much like to previous ToPIQ studies, focused on the comparison of the investigated tobacco products with a reference cigarette [14][15][16][17]24,31,43,59]. Especially for comparison with guideline values or other investigations, the absolute data are stated.…”

“…To generate SHS reproducibly, an Automatic Environmental Tobacco Smoke Emitter (AETSE) was used that was developed for the Tobacco Smoke Particles and Indoor Air Quality (ToPIQ) studies [14,24] and constructed by Schimpf-Ing. Trondheim, Norway [25].…”

“…The number of cigarettes analysed was n = 20 for each tested type. All investigated cigarettes were smoked following the same modified protocol according to the ToPIQ studies [14,24]. The setting of the AETSE for the combustion phase, where each cigarette was lighted and smoked, was as follows: 40 mL puff volume; 13 mL/s puff flow rate; 2 puffs/min; duration 3 s/puff; two ignition puffs followed by 7 regular puffs.…”

A Summary of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies Evaluating the Impact of E-Cigarette Exposure on Living Organisms and the Environment

“…It has been estimated that cigarette smoke comprises 98 chemicals constituents listed as hazardous [205], and their impact on human health and the environment is well documented [193,[206][207][208]. Many of the toxic and carcinogenic agents in tobacco cigarette smoke, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrosamines and carbon monoxide, arise as byproducts of combustion [209].…”