title: Seasonal variability in environmental tobacco smoke exposure in public housing developments.
abstract: The risk of tobacco smoking and second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure combined are the leading contributors to disease burden in high-income countries. Recent studies and policies are focusing on reducing exposure to SHS in multiunit housing (MUH), especially public housing. We examined seasonal patterns of SHS levels within indoor common areas located on Boston Housing Authority (BHA) properties. We measured weekly integrated and continuous fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and passive airborne nicotine in six buildings of varying building and occupant characteristics in summer 2012 and winter 2013. The average weekly indoor PM2.5 concentration across all six developments was 9.2 μg/m3, higher during winter monitoring period (10.3 μg/m3) compared with summer (8.0 μg/m3). Airborne nicotine concentrations ranged from no detection to about 5000 ng/m3 (mean 311 ng/m3). Nicotine levels were significantly higher in the winter compared with summer (620 vs. 85 ng/m3; 95% CI: 72-998). Smoking-related exposures within Boston public housing vary by season, building types, and resident smoking policy. Our results represent exposure disparities that may contribute to health disparities in low-income communities and highlight the potential importance of efforts to mitigate SHS exposures during winter when outdoor-indoor exchange rates are low and smokers may tend to stay indoors. Our findings support the use of smoke-free policy as an effective tool to eliminate SHS exposure and protect non-smokers, especially residents of MUH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Arku
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adamkiewicz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vallarino
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Spengler
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D001900:Boston; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009538:Nicotine / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D011638:Public Housing; D012621:Seasons; D012907:Smoking; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D009538:Nicotine
keywords: Airborne nicotine; Indoor air pollution; Multiunit housing; Particulate matter; Seasonal patterns; Second-hand smoke
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2011 Jan;127(1):85-92
references.pmid: 21149434
references.citation: J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol. 2001 May-Jun;11(3):231-52
references.pmid: 11477521
references.citation: Occup Environ Med. 2006 Nov;63(11):766-72
references.pmid: 16912089
references.citation: Respir Res. 2011 Jan 10;12:5
references.pmid: 21219618
references.citation: Environ Sci Technol. 1987 May 1;21(5):494-7
references.pmid: 22296139
references.citation: Environ Sci Technol. 2001 May 15;35(10):2089-99
references.pmid: 11393992
references.citation: Lancet. 2012 Dec 15;380(9859):2224-60
references.pmid: 23245609
references.citation: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017 Apr 21;66(15):413
references.pmid: 28426642
references.citation: Nicotine Tob Res. 2009 Jun;11(6):635-41
references.pmid: 19351784
references.citation: Tob Control. 2009 Dec;18(6):438-44
references.pmid: 19679890
references.citation: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2008 Nov 14;57(45):1226-8
references.pmid: 19008791
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2006 Jun;114(6):853-8
references.pmid: 16759984
references.citation: J Environ Monit. 2008 Sep;10(9):1041-51
references.pmid: 18728896
references.citation: Am J Prev Med. 2013 Jun;44(6):631-4
references.pmid: 23683981
references.citation: J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol. 2000 May-Jun;10(3):294-306
references.pmid: 10910121
references.citation: Environ Health Perspect. 2001 Apr;109(4):341-7
references.pmid: 11335181
references.citation: Tob Control. 2006 Aug;15(4):302-7
references.pmid: 16885579
references.citation: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2010 Sep 10;59(35):1141-6
references.pmid: 20829748
references.citation: J Air Waste Manag Assoc. 1996 Feb;46(2):98-126
references.pmid: 8846246
references.citation: J Air Waste Manag Assoc. 2001 Apr;51(4):514-23
references.pmid: 11321908
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 2010 Jun 17;362(24):2319-25
references.pmid: 20554988
references.citation: Indoor Air. 2005 Dec;15(6):393-401
references.pmid: 16268829
references.citation: Tob Control. 2011 May;20(3):212-8
references.pmid: 21177666
references.citation: Nicotine Tob Res. 2013 Jul;15(7):1316-21
references.pmid: 23248030
references.citation: Nicotine Tob Res. 2010 Nov;12(11):1133-41
references.pmid: 20889473