Quantitative evaluation of nicotine and particulate matter exposure for passive- and non-smokers via a nicotine passive sampler and a particulate matter sensor

Passive smoking poses a major hazard to the health of non-smokers. Cigarette combustion emits environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) that contains various pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and particulate matter with particles < 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM_2.5). Therefore, to assess the risk of passive smoking, it is necessary to determine the exposure levels to ETS compounds caused by passive smoking. However, it is difficult to assess exposure to ETS compounds by excluding the effects of other sources of pollution. In this study, we assessed the individual exposure levels to ETS compounds using a nicotine passive sampler and PM_2.5 sensor in 258 non-smokers. Median nicotine and PM_2.5 concentrations were 0.065 and 7.5 µg m^− 3, respectively. The median nicotine concentration was nearly identical to that found in non-smoking areas (0.05 µg m^− 3). The median PM_2.5 concentrations were below the standard value for indoor PM_2.5 concentrations (12 µg m^− 3). These results indicated that the effect of passive smoking was rather modest. Nicotine concentrations in individuals exposed to passive smoking indoors were significantly higher than in those not exposed to passive smoking. Nicotine exposure from domestic passive smoking was twice that from non-domestic passive smoking. There was no significant difference in PM_2.5 exposure between passive smoking in domestic and non-domestic settings. Moreover, it was suggested that passive smoking was equivalent to the act of smoking 2.4 × 10^− 3 cigarettes per day.