DETERMINATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS AND RESPIRABLE SUSPENDED PARTICULATE MATTER IN NEW-JERSEY AND PENNSYLVANIA HOMES AND WORKPLACES

One hundred-four self-reported nonsmoking married women participated i n a home and workplace personal environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) expo sure study for 33 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), total volatile or ganic compounds (TVOCs), respirable suspended particulate matter (RSP) , and ETS-RSP. The women were selected and classified according to soc ioeconomic categories based on age (25-39 y and 40+ y), total annual h ousehold income (<$40K and >$40K), and reported ETS exposure status at home and at work (SH = smoking home, NSH = nonsmoking home, SW = smok ing work, and NSW = nonsmoking work). Saliva samples were collected at the start and at the end of the study for cotinine determinations. Fi ve participants (4.8% of the total), married to smokers and working in smoking workplaces, were excluded because they had average salivary c otinine concentrations greater than 10 ng/mL. indicating that they wer e likely smokers. The background correction factor for cotinine (SH/NS H) or Z, indicated that total exposure was 4.8 times greater for those living with a smoker versus those not living with a smoker. Apportion ment of TVOCs indicated that 3.4% of the TVOCs in the smoking homes an d 0.8% of the TVOCs in the smoking workplaces were attributable to ETS . Apportionment of benzene and styrene indicated that 11.4% and 13.4%, respectively, were attributable to ETS in smoking homes; 11.5% and 6. 2%, respectively, were attributable to ETS in smoking workplaces. RSP apportionment based on solanesol particulate matter (Sol-PM) indicated that 28.7% of the RSP in smoking homes and 22.7% of the RSP in smokin g workplaces were attributable to ETS. RSP apportionment based on scop oletin particulate matter (Sco-PM) indicated that 12.9% of the RSP in smoking homes and 9.6% of the RSP in smoking workplaces were attributa ble to ETS. Median daily and weekly exposures to VOCs, TVOCs, and RSP were calculated from the concentrations determined and tended to follo w the trend: SH > NSH > SW > NSW. The home/work exposure differential (SH/SW) indicated that ETS exposure was higher for living with a smoke r than for working with a smoker by a factor of 3.7 for RSP and ETS-RS P and 2.4 for VOCs and TVOCs.