Feasibility of Measuring Tobacco Smoke Air Pollution in Homes: Report from a Pilot Study

Laura Rosen, David Zucker, Melbourne Hovell, Nili Brown, Amit Ram, Vicki Myers, Laura Rosen, David Zucker, Melbourne Hovell, Nili Brown, Amit Ram, Vicki Myers

Abstract

Tobacco smoke air pollution (TSAP) measurement may persuade parents to adopt smoke-free homes and thereby reduce harm to children from tobacco smoke in the home. In a pilot study involving 29 smoking families, a Sidepak was used to continuously monitor home PM(2.5) during an 8-h period, Sidepak and/or Dylos monitors provided real-time feedback, and passive nicotine monitors were used to measure home air nicotine for one week. Feedback was provided to participants in the context of motivational interviews. Home PM(2.5) levels recorded by continuous monitoring were not well-accepted by participants because of the noise level. Also, graphs from continuous monitoring showed unexplained peaks, often associated with sources unrelated to indoor smoking, such as cooking, construction, or outdoor sources. This hampered delivery of a persuasive message about the relationship between home smoking and TSAP. By contrast, immediate real-time PM(2.5) feedback (with Sidepak or Dylos monitor) was feasible and provided unambiguous information; the Dylos had the additional advantages of being more economical and quieter. Air nicotine sampling was complicated by the time-lag for feedback and questions regarding shelf-life. Improvement in the science of TSAP measurement in the home environment is needed to encourage and help maintain smoke-free homes and protect vulnerable children. Recent advances in the use of mobile devices for real-time feedback are promising and warrant further development, as do accurate methods for real-time air nicotine air monitoring.

Keywords: air quality (AQ); children’s health; environmental exposure; environmental monitoring; environmental tobacco smoke (ETS); particulate matter (PM); respirable suspended particles (RSP); secondhand smoke (SHS); smoke-free homes; tobacco smoke exposure (TSE).

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak from 18:00 to 03:00 the following day—no smoking reported; (b) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—no smoking reported, bread baking occurred; (c) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—smoking in the home; (d) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—smoking in the home; (e) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—outdoor air pollution; (f) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—no smoking, outdoor air pollution.
Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak from 18:00 to 03:00 the following day—no smoking reported; (b) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—no smoking reported, bread baking occurred; (c) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—smoking in the home; (d) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—smoking in the home; (e) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—outdoor air pollution; (f) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—no smoking, outdoor air pollution.
Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak from 18:00 to 03:00 the following day—no smoking reported; (b) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—no smoking reported, bread baking occurred; (c) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—smoking in the home; (d) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—smoking in the home; (e) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—outdoor air pollution; (f) Continuous monitoring of PM with a Sidepak—no smoking, outdoor air pollution.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Real-time PM monitoring with Sidepak—two smokers outdoors.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Real-time PM monitoring—simultaneous test with (a) Sidepak and (b) Dylos.

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