Tobacco-Specific and Volatile N-Nitrosamines in Environmental Tobacco Smoke of Offices

Abstract

The tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and 4-(N-methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) as well as the volatile N-nitrosamines N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR) were determined in the indoor air of a poorly ventilated office where extensive smoking took place. Under these conditions, moderate to heavy smoking resulted in indoor air concentrations of 7.6-20.0 ppm carbon monoxide, 109-290 ppb nitrogen oxides and 58.5-132 μg/m 3 nicotine. The N-nitrosamine concentrationes were (in nanograms/cubic meter): not detected (nd)-6.0 NNN, nd-13.5 NNK, 7.9-45.0 NDMA and 3.5-27.0 ng/m3 NPYR. Occupation of the office by a nonsmoker for 1 h would result in a maximum exposure to 0.01 μg TSNA and 0.03 μg volatile N-nitrosamines.

Rapid and sensitive gas chromatography–ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines in secondhand smoke

“…For example, Piade et al [30] measured an NNN concentration of 2.3 ng m -3 in the SHS generated in an 18-m 3 chamber using the same cigarette brand. Klus et al [29] reported mean levels in the range of 0-6.0 ng m -3 for NNN and 0-13.5 ng m -3 for NNK in offices with poor ventilation conditions. Similar levels of 0-23 ng/m -3 NNN and 3-24 ng m -3 NNK, were reported in heavily smoke-polluted bars and restaurants [13].…”

“…To date, only a few studies have reported measurements of TSNAs in SHS polluted indoor environments [13,[28][29][30][31]. This may be attributed to the low levels of these compounds combined with the lack of methods suitable for routine analysis of TSNAs.…”

VolatileN-Nitrosamines in Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Sampling, Analysis, Emission Factors, and Indoor Air Exposures

“…Although there is evidence of widespread indoor exposures to VNA from ETS ( − ), most reported data are not sufficiently complete to infer the distribution of exposures for the general population. For example, available indoor concentration measurements are limited to a few high exposure situations, and because other measurements such as air exchange rates were not made simultaneously, emission factors cannot be inferred for extrapolation to other indoor settings or smoking rates ( − ).…”

“…Although there is evidence of widespread indoor exposures to VNA from ETS ( − ), most reported data are not sufficiently complete to infer the distribution of exposures for the general population. For example, available indoor concentration measurements are limited to a few high exposure situations, and because other measurements such as air exchange rates were not made simultaneously, emission factors cannot be inferred for extrapolation to other indoor settings or smoking rates ( − ). In addition, because of changes in recent years in the cigarette manufacturing process to reduce tar in mainstream smoke, e.g., the use of more reconstituted tobacco, the emission factors for VNA reported in the older literature may differ from those for cigarettes currently on the market.…”