Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ.
Division of Atmospheric Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2020 Oct 8;22(10):1772-1779. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntaa094.
Direct emissions of nicotine and harmful chemicals from electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been intensively studied, but secondhand and thirdhand e-cigarette aerosol (THA) exposures in indoor environments are understudied.
Indoor CO2, NO2, particulate matter (PM2.5), aldehydes, and airborne nicotine were measured in five vape-shops to assess secondhand exposures. Nicotine and tobacco-specific nitrosamines were measured on vape-shop surfaces and materials (glass, paper, clothing, rubber, and fur ball) placed in the vape-shops (14 days) to study thirdhand exposures.
Airborne PM2.5, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and nicotine concentrations during shop opening hours were 21, 3.3, 4.0, and 3.8 times higher than the levels during shop closing hours, respectively. PM2.5 concentrations were correlated with the number of e-cigarette users present in vape-shops (ρ = 0.366-0.761, p < .001). Surface nicotine, 4-(N-methyl-N-nitrosamino)-4-(3-pyridyl)butanal (NNA), and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) were also detected at levels of 223.6 ± 313.2 µg/m2, 4.78 ± 11.8 ng/m2, and 44.8 ± 102.3 ng/m2, respectively. Substantial amounts of nicotine (up to 2073 µg/m2) deposited on the materials placed within the vape-shops, and NNA (up to 474.4 ng/m2) and NNK (up to 184.0 ng/m2) were also formed on these materials. The deposited nicotine concentrations were strongly correlated with the median number of active vapers present in a vape-shop per hour (ρ = 0.894-0.949, p = .04-.051). NNK levels on the material surfaces were significantly associated with surface nicotine levels (ρ=0.645, p = .037).
Indoor vaping leads to secondhand and THA exposures. Thirdhand exposures induced by e-cigarette vaping are comparable or higher than that induced by cigarette smoking. Long-term studies in various microenvironments are needed to improve our understanding of secondhand and THA exposures.
This study adds new convincing evidence that e-cigarette vaping can cause secondhand and THA exposures. Our findings can inform Occupational Safety and Health Administration, state authorities, and other government agencies regarding indoor air policies related to e-cigarette use, particularly in vape-shops. There is an urgent need to ensure that vape-shops maintain suitable ventilation systems and cleaning practices to protect customers, employees, and bystanders. Our study also demonstrates that nicotine can deposit or be adsorbed on baby's clothes and toys, and that tobacco-specific nitrosamines can form and retain on baby's clothes, highlighting children's exposure to environmental e-cigarette aerosol and THA at home is of a particular concern.
电子烟（e-cigarette）的尼古丁和有害化学物质的直接排放已经得到了深入研究，但室内环境中的二手烟和三手烟气溶胶（THA）暴露情况仍研究不足。
在五家电子烟店内测量室内二氧化碳（CO2）、二氧化氮（NO2）、细颗粒物（PM2.5）、醛类和空气中的尼古丁，以评估二手烟暴露情况。在电子烟店内放置玻璃、纸张、衣物、橡胶和毛绒球等材料，并测量这些材料表面的尼古丁和烟草特异性亚硝胺（Nitrosamines），以研究三手烟暴露情况（持续 14 天）。
电子烟店内营业时间内的空气中 PM2.5、甲醛、乙醛和尼古丁浓度分别比关闭时间高出 21、3.3、4.0 和 3.8 倍。PM2.5 浓度与店内电子烟使用者数量呈正相关（ρ=0.366-0.761，p<0.001）。在材料表面也检测到尼古丁、4-（N-甲基-N-亚硝氨基）-4-（3-吡啶基）丁醛（NNA）和 4-（甲基亚硝氨基）-1-（3-吡啶基）-1-丁酮（NNK），浓度分别为 223.6±313.2 µg/m2、4.78±11.8 ng/m2 和 44.8±102.3 ng/m2。大量尼古丁（高达 2073 µg/m2）沉积在店内放置的材料上，同时这些材料上也形成了 NNA（高达 474.4 ng/m2）和 NNK（高达 184.0 ng/m2）。沉积的尼古丁浓度与电子烟店内每小时活跃电子烟使用者数量的中位数呈强相关（ρ=0.894-0.949，p=0.04-0.051）。材料表面的 NNK 水平与表面尼古丁水平显著相关（ρ=0.645，p=0.037）。
室内吸电子烟会导致二手烟和三手烟暴露。电子烟引发的三手烟暴露与吸烟引发的暴露相当或更高。需要在各种微环境中进行长期研究，以增进我们对二手烟和三手烟暴露的了解。
本研究提供了新的令人信服的证据，表明电子烟使用会导致二手烟和三手烟暴露。我们的发现可以为职业安全与健康管理局、州政府和其他政府机构提供有关电子烟使用的室内空气政策方面的信息，特别是在电子烟店内。迫切需要确保电子烟店保持适当的通风系统和清洁措施，以保护顾客、员工和旁观者。我们的研究还表明，尼古丁可以沉积或被吸附在婴儿的衣服和玩具上，并且烟草特异性亚硝胺可以在婴儿的衣服上形成并保留，这凸显了儿童在家中接触环境电子烟气溶胶和三手烟的特别关注。
