MEASURED EXPOSURES BY PERSONAL MONITORING FOR RESPIRABLE SUSPENDED PARTICLES AND ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO-SMOKE OF HOUSEWIVES AND OFFICE WORKERS RESIDENT IN BREMEN, GERMANY

Objective: Exposures to respirable suspended particles (RSP) and envir onmental tobacco smoke (ETS) were assessed in Bremen, Germany, as part of a European air quality study. The range and level of personal expo sures were assessed for housewives and office workers. Design: Nonsmok ers were randomly selected from a representative sample of the populat ion of Bremen. Housewives were recruited into one group primarily for assessment of exposures in the home and office workers, into a second group for assessment of the contribution of the workplace to overall e xposure. Methods: A. total of 190 subjects collected air samples from areas close to their breathing zone by wearing personal monitors for 2 4 h. Samples collected were analysed for RSP, ultraviolet-absorbing pa rticulate matter (UVPM), fluorescing particulate matter (FPM), solanes ol-related particulate matter (SolPM), nicotine and 3-ethenylpyridine (3-EP). Saliva cotinine levels for all subjects were also established. Results: Overall the levels found were quite low, with the majority o f results being below the limit of quantification. Workers both living and working with smokers were exposed to the highest 24-h median quan tities of RSP (789 mu g) and ETS particles (128 mu g) measured by FPM. The highest nicotine levels, based on median 24-h time-weighted avera ge concentrations, were experienced by office workers working with smo kers (0.69 mu g m(-3)). These workers were also found to have the high est median cotinine levels (1.6 ng ml(-1)). Conclusions: The most high ly exposed workers, both living and working with smokers, would potent ially inhale over 20 cigarette equivalents (CE) per annum as based on the upper decile levels. Housewives living with smokers could inhale u p to 11 CE per annum as based on the upper decile levels. Locations ou tside the workplace, including the home, contribute most to overall RS P and ETS particle exposure. Consideration should be given to extendin g the personal monitoring period in cities where levels appear to be q uite low.