title: [The work environment as a source of exposure to secondhand smoke: a study in workers of bars and restaurants of Santiago, Chile].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Secondhand smoke (SHS) is an established cause of morbidity and mortality among non-smokers. The workplace is an important source of exposure, especially among workers of restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the daily occupational exposure to SHS among non-smoking workers of bars and restaurants of Santiago, Chile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Environmental vapor-phase nicotine was measured for 95 non-smoking workers of bars and restaurants of Santiago, using passive personal samplers during a daily work shift and outside the workplace.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median occupational exposure to air nicotine was 9.18 µg/m³ (P25-P75 3.15-25.67 µg/m³). Higher concentrations were found among workers of places with no smoking restrictions (22.72 µg/m³; P25-P75 5.73-34.85 µg/m³), bar workers (20.75 µg/m³, P25-P75 5.03-44.67 µg/m³), waiters (20.57 µg/m³, PP25-P75 5.66-42.73 µg/m3) and bartenders (10.37 µg/m³, P25-P75 9.75-25.67 µg/m³). The median concentration of nicotine outside the workplace was 1.79 µg/m³ (P25-P75 1.02-3.00 µg/m³). Occupational exposure was 4.77 times higher compared to the non-work exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Workers of bars and restaurants are exposed to high levels of SHS at the workplace. Moreover, occupational exposure among these non-smoking workers is, in most cases, the main source of daily exposure to this pollutant.
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Salud Pública, Universidad de Chile, Chile. paulinaaceituno@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aceituno
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Iglesias
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erazo
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Droppelmann
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Orellana
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Navas-Acién
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D002677:Chile; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000032:analysis*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D012147:Restaurants; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D017132:Workplace / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D009538:Nicotine