Collecting Hand Wipe Samples to Assess Thirdhand Smoke Exposure.

E Melinda Mahabee-Gittens,Georg E Matt,Eunha Hoh,Ashley L Merianos,Penelope J E Quintana,Lara Stone,Nicolas Lopez-Galvez

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.770505

Abstract

Collecting Hand Wipe Samples to Assess Thirdhand Smoke Exposure.

Highlights

Thirdhand smoke (THS) is the persistent toxic residue of tobacco smoke pollutants that attaches to surfaces, remains in dust, and becomes embedded in environments long after secondhand smoke (SHS) has been released into the air [1]
This paper provides a collection method for obtaining hand wipes in children or adults that can later be analyzed for nicotine, a THS pollutant
By obtaining field blanks to adjust for potential environmental contamination with nicotine, accurate measures of hand nicotine levels can be obtained

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Thirdhand smoke (THS) is the persistent toxic residue of tobacco smoke pollutants that attaches to surfaces, remains in dust, and becomes embedded in environments long after secondhand smoke (SHS) has been released into the air [1]. Cotinine is the biomarker most frequently measured to assess non-smokers’ overall TSE from SHS and THS. Since cotinine is not specific to THS, cotinine levels cannot be used to determine if non-smokers’ TSE includes exposure to SHS and THS or THS alone. We believe that hand nicotine levels are preferable when measuring non-smokers’ exposure to tobacco smoke pollutants from THS compared to cotinine [12]. Clinical researchers who are studying the health effects of child or adult TSE and ways to reduce or eliminate TSE should consider obtaining hand wipes as a way to assess children’s or adults’ THS exposure. Recommended quality control/quality assurance practices that should be used are presented to ensure the samples are collected correctly and that the measurements obtained represent reliable and valid nicotine levels

MATERIALS AND METHODS

SUMMARY