Mass Concentrations of Respirable Particulate and Nicotine in Seven Smoker's Homes in Rural Area of Taiwan

Abstract

This study examines smoker's impact on his indoor air quality and his relative exposure to respirable particulate and nicotine. The daily indoor/outdoor respirable particulate and nicotine concentrations of seven smoker's homes were concurrently measured over a week in a rural area of Taiwan in the summer and the winter. Personal exposures to respirable particulate and nicotine of sixteen members from these seven families were also measured. Respirable particulate samples were collected on PVC filters by personal pumps with cyclone (flow rate=1.9l/min). Nicotine samples were actively collected on the teflon coated glass fiber filters impregnated with sodium bisulfate, extracted by ammoniated heptane, and analyzed by the gas chromatographic method. Indoor respirable particulate concentrations (44 to 107µ/m^3) were higher than outdoor (27 to 92µ/m^3) in both the summer and winter. In summer, the nicotine concentrations averaged at 0.7±0.6µ/m^3 indoors and about 0.5±0.5µ/m^3 for personal exposure. In winter, the nicotine concentrations averaged 0.7±1.1µ/m^3 indoors and about 0.4±0.5µ/m^3 for personal exposure. From correlation analysis, the indoor respirable particulates appeared to be generated from outdoor road dust rather from environmental tobacco smoke.