Determination of volatile organic compounds and respirable suspended particulate matter in New Jersey and Pennsylvania homes and workplaces

Abstract

One hundred-four self-reported nonsmoking married women participated in a home and workplace personal environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure study for 33 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), respirable suspended particulate matter (RSP), and ETS-RSP. The women were selected and classified according to socioeconomic categories based on age (25–39 y and 40+ y), total annual household income (<$40K and >$40K), and reported ETS exposure status at home and at work (SH = smoking home, NSH = nonsmoking home, SW = smoking work, and NSW = nonsmoking work). Saliva samples were collected at the start and at the end of the study for cotinine determinations. Five participants (4.8% of the total), married to smokers and working in smoking workplaces, were excluded because they had average salivary cotinine concentrations greater than 10 ng/mL indicating that they were likely smokers. The background correction factor for cotinine (SH/NSH) or Z, indicated that total exposure was 4.8 times greater for those living with a smoker versus those not living with a smoker. Apportionment of TVOCs indicated that 3.4% of the TVOCs in the smoking homes and 0.8% of the TVOCs in the smoking workplaces were attributable to ETS. Apportionment of benzene and styrene indicated that 11.4% and 13.4%, respectively, were attributable to ETS in smoking homes; 11.5% and 6.2%, respectively, were attributable to ETS in smoking workplaces. RSP apportionment based on solanesol particulate matter (Sol-PM) indicated that 28.7% of the RSP in smoking homes and 22.7% of the RSP in smoking workplaces were attributable to ETS. RSP apportionment based on scopoletin particulate matter (Sco-PM) indicated that 12.9% of the RSP in smoking homes and 9.6% of the RSP in smoking workplaces were attributable to ETS. Median daily and weekly exposures to VOCs, TVOCs, and RSP were calculated from the concentrations determined and tended to follow the trend: SH > NSH > SW > NSW. The home/work exposure differential (SH/SW) indicated that ETS exposure was higher for living with a smoker than for working with a smoker by a factor of 3.7 for RSP and ETS-RSP and 2.4 for VOCs and TVOCs.