USE OF VOLATILE TRACERS TO DETERMINE THE CONTRIBUTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO-SMOKE TO CONCENTRATIONS OF VOLATILE ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS IN SMOKING ENVIRONMENTS

Three volatile nitrogen-containing compounds, 3-ethenylpyridine (3-EP) , pyridine and pyrrole, were investigated as potential tracers for det ermining the contribution of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) to conc entrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor environments with smoking. The source emission rates of the three tracers and ten selected VOCs in ETS were first measured in a room-size environmental chamber for a market-weighted selection of six commercial cigarettes. The ratios of the emission rates of the tracers to the emission rates of the selected VOCs were calculated and compared among the six brands . The utility of the tracers was then evaluated in a field study condu cted in five office buildings. Samples for VOCs were collected in desi gnated smoking areas and adjoining non-smoking areas, air change rates were measured, and smoking rates were documented. Concentrations of t he three tracers in the smoking areas were calculated using a mass-bal ance model and compared to their measured concentrations. Based on thi s comparison, 3-EP was selected as the most suitable tracer for the vo latile components of ETS, although pyrrole is also potentially useful. Using 3-EP as the tracer, the contributions of ETS to the measured co ncentrations of the selected VOCs in the smoking areas were estimated by apportionment. ETS was estimated to contribute 57% to 84% (4.1 to 2 6 mu g m(-3)) of the formaldehyde concentrations, 44-69% (0.9 to 5.8 m u g m(-3)) of the 2-butanone concentrations, 37 to 58% (1.3 to 8.2 mu g m(-3)) of the benzene concentrations, and 20 to 69% (0.5 to 3.0 mu g m(-3)) of the styrene concentrations. The fractional contributions of ETS to the concentrations of acetone, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene i somers, and d-limonene were all less than 50%.