title: [Measurement of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in education centers, health centers, transport facilities and leisure places].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe levels of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in various public places in Barcelona (Spain).
  
  
  METHODS
  Vapor-phase nicotine was measured with passive samplers containing a sodium bisulfate treated filter with a 37 mm diameter. The places sampled were primary and secondary schools, hospitals, primary care centers, train stations, subways, universities, airports, restaurants and discotheques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary and secondary schools and health centers had the lowest levels of ETS exposure, with mean concentrations of less than 1 microg/m3. The mean values found in transport and universities were 2.16 microg/m3 in train stations, 3.30 microg/m3 in subways, 4.30 microg/m3 in airports and 4.97 microg/m3 in universities. The highest concentrations were found in restaurants and discotheques, with mean values of 12.36 microg/m3 in restaurants and 130.65 microg/m3 in discotheques. All samples taken from primary and secondary schools, airports, subways, restaurants and discotheques contained ETS. Likewise, 90% of the samples taken from train stations and 96% of those from universities contained ETS. Seventy-nine percent of the samples from hospitals and 58% of those from primary care centers contained ETS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results confirm that passive smoking is an important public health problem in Spain and that greater efforts are needed to enforce smoke-free policies in public spaces and workplaces.
authors.affiliation: Servei de Promoció de la Salut, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. mjlopez@imsb.bcn.es
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Manel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nebot
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sallés
authors.forename: Eulàlia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Serrahima
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Centrich
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Juárez
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ariza
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D006268:Health Facilities; D006801:Humans; D011633:Public Facilities; D012574:Schools; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution