title: Determination of Po-210 content in cigarette smoke using a smoking machine: A case study of Iranian cigarettes.
abstract: The Po-210 content of tobacco has been known for a long time, however, different results can be found about the estimated amount of Po-210 that is inhaled by humans as a result of smoking cigarettes. Because of the unique properties of Po-210, the smoking machines available on the market are not suitable because of their failure to quantitatively collect Po-210 for measurement. Therefore, to estimate precisely the amount of Po-210 entering the lungs as a result of smoking, a smoking machine and sampling protocol based on relevant ISO standards - ISO-3308, ISO-3402 and ISO-4387 - was developed. A 5% HCl solution was found to be the best absorber of Po-210 from smoke. Seventeen different brands of cigarettes distributed in Iran were used to validate the new machine and sampling protocol. The Po-210 concentration was determined by alpha spectrometry; the cigarette smoke solution underwent combined acid treatment after adding a Po-209 tracer. The Po-210 activity concentration of cigarettes sold in Iran was between 9.7 ± 1.2 and 26.5 ± 4.6 mBq/cigarette and it was determined that there was no relationship between the Po-210 and nicotine contents of cigarette smoke. Additionally, it was found that 15 ± 10% of the cigarette Po-210 was transferred to the mainstream smoke.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiochemistry and Radioecology, University of Pannonia, 10 Egyetem str., H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary; Social Organisation for Radioecological Cleanliness, 7/a József Attila str., H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary.
authors.forename: Mária
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horváth
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiochemistry and Radioecology, University of Pannonia, 10 Egyetem str., H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary.
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shahrokhi
authors.affiliation: Social Organisation for Radioecological Cleanliness, 7/a József Attila str., H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary.
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bátor
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiochemistry and Radioecology, University of Pannonia, 10 Egyetem str., H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary.
authors.forename: Edit
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tóth-Bodrogi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiochemistry and Radioecology, University of Pannonia, 10 Egyetem str., H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary; Social Organisation for Radioecological Cleanliness, 7/a József Attila str., H-8200, Veszprém, Hungary. Electronic address: kt@almos.uni-pannon.hu.
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kovács
mesh_terms: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D007492:Iran; D011059:Polonium / Q000032:analysis*; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000032:analysis*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D011059:Polonium
keywords: Cigarette; Inhalation dose; Po-210; Radiation dose; Smoking machine