[Changes in PM10 and PM2.5 air levels in bars after the enforcement of the smoking ban in the Italian legislation].
OBJECTIVE
in Italy law n.3/2003 has banned smoking in closed places, with the exception of private venues and of public venues reserved for smokers and marked as such. The present report estimates the effects of the ban.


METHODS
comparison between periods (before-after enforcement of the law).


METHODS
City of Trieste.


METHODS
Six bars and four shops (convenience sample).


METHODS
particulate matter fractions PM10 and PM2.5 in bars and stores before and after enforcement of the law, outdoor PM10. Concentrations were estimated over the normal working hours of the premises.


RESULTS
after enforcement of the law the concentration of PM2.5 in bars fell by 73% (p < 0.01), whereas the concentration of the PM10-2.5 fraction did not decrease significantly. Overall, the mean concentration of PM2.5 and PM10-2.5 in shops showed no statistically significant change.


CONCLUSIONS
mean hourly PM2.5 concentrations, used as a proxy for indoor pollution caused by environmental tobacco smoke in bars were significantly reduced.
Tominz
Riccardo
R
Dipartimento di prevenzione, Azienda per i servizi sanitari n. 1 Triestina. riccardo.tominz@ass1.sanita.fvg.it
Poropat
Claudio
C
Bovenzi
Matteo
M
D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D010316:Particle Size; D012147:Restaurants / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution