Nicotine & Tobacco Research Advance Access published online on April 7, 2009
Nicotine & Tobacco Research, doi:10.1093/ntr/ntp019
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An experimental investigation of tobacco smoke pollution in cars
Taryn Sendzik, M.Sc., Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Geoffrey T. Fong, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Mark J. Travers, Ph.D., Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY
Andrew Hyland, Ph.D., Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY
Corresponding Author: Geoffrey T. Fong, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada. Telephone: +1 (519) 888-4567, ext. 33597. Fax: +1 (519) 746-8631. Email: gfong{at}watarts.uwaterloo.ca
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Abstract |
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Introduction: Tobacco smoke pollution (TSP) has been identified as a serious public health threat. Although the number of jurisdictions that prohibit smoking in public places has increased rapidly, just a few successful attempts have been made to pass similar laws prohibiting smoking in cars, where the cabin space may contribute to concentrated exposure. In particular, TSP constitutes a potentially serious health hazard to children because of prolonged exposure and their small size.
Methods: The present study investigated the levels of TSP in 18 cars via the measurement of fine respirable particles (<2.5 microns in diameter or PM2.5) under a variety of in vivo conditions. Car owners smoked a single cigarette in their cars in each of five controlled air-sampling conditions. Each condition varied on movement of the car, presence of air conditioning, open windows, and combinations of these airflow influences.
Results: Smoking just a single cigarette in a car generated extremely high average levels of PM2.5: more than 3,800 µg/m3 in the condition with the least airflow (motionless car, windows closed). In moderate ventilation conditions (air conditioning or having the smoking driver hold the cigarette next to a half-open window), the average levels of PM2.5 were reduced but still at significantly high levels (air conditioning = 844 µg/m3; holding cigarette next to a half-open window = 223 µg/m3).
Discussion: This study demonstrates that TSP in cars reaches unhealthy levels, even under realistic ventilation conditions, lending support to efforts occurring across a growing number of jurisdictions to educate people and prohibit smoking in cars in the presence of children.
Received: April 4, 2008; Accepted: September 15, 2008
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  M R Jones, A Navas-Acien, J Yuan, and P N Breysse Secondhand tobacco smoke concentrations in motor vehicles: a pilot study Tob. Control, October 1, 2009; 18(5): 399 - 404. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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