OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE OF NONSMOKING NIGHTCLUB MUSICIANS TO ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO-SMOKE

This study assessed environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposures of non smoking musicians in niqhtclub environments using total suspended part iculate (TSP), the ultraviolet absorbing fraction of TSP (UVPM), gaseo us nicotine, saliva nicotine, saliva cotinine and perceived smokiness as exposure/dose indicators. Measured exposures were as high or higher than those of other occupational groups studied. TSP ranged from 110 to 1714 mu g/m(3) (mean 502, SD 390 mu g/m(3)). UVPM (mean 221, SD 95 mu g/m(3)) was associated with gaseous and saliva nicotine concentrati ons. Paired-sample variation was much higher for TSP than for UVPM. Co rrelation of TSP with UVPM, gaseous nicotine, and saliva nicotine was poor. Paired-sample gaseous nicotine results were similar, with exposu res of 28.0 to 50.0 mu g/m(3) (mean 37.1, SD 6.9 mu g/m(3)), and were high compared with previous studies. These results suggested that nigh tclub musicians may be exposed to higher concentrations of ETS than so me other occupational groups. Saliva nicotine results were consistent with those previously reported with regard to the range of values, lar ge variation observed, and increase in saliva nicotine levels observab le after only a few hours of exposure. Saliva nicotine results could n ot be correlated with other measures of exposure and did not appear to be a reliable biological indicator of absorbed dose. Saliva cotinine levels were comparable to other occupational groups studied, but were lower than previous findings for bartenders and waitresses. levels ran ged from 1.7 to 5.0 ng/ml (mean 3.4, SD 0.9 ng/ml), and increased with number of exposures during the workweek, but did not correlate with o ther ETS indicators.