Tobacco Smoke - VOCs

Report

TOXIC VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO SMOKE: EMISSION FACTORS FOR MODELING EXPOSURE OF CALIFORNIA POPULATIONS. Principal Investigator: J. M. Daisey. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. 1994. A133-186.

"Objectives: To measure the levels of over 20 toxic air pollutants in aged second-hand smoke (ETS) from the brands of cigarettes most smoked in California. In order to compare the results with existing data, emissions of the same pollutants from fresh sidestream smoke (smoke from the burning end of the cigarette, or SS) were also measured. "

"Findings: Most of the target compounds were present in levels high enough to be measured in both ETS and SS. ETS emissions were highest for particles, aldehydes, nicotine, and the aromatic hydrocarbons. The ETS emissions were fairly consistent among the different cigarette brands, even when "regular" cigarettes were compared to mentholated and "light" cigarettes. ETS emissions were generally higher than emissions measured in SS, apparently due to chemical losses in the SS apparatus. The ETS emission factors agree with other literature values and the investigators recommend their use in exposure modeling."

"Importance to ARB’s Program: Cigarettes are a major indoor source of many toxic air pollutants. This study provides unique information to help estimate Californians' exposures to many toxic components of ETS."

For more on this subject and the full report go to: http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/apr/past/indoor.htm