Search

Objectives: Third-hand smoke (THS) is residual smoke after extinguishing a cigarette and adhering to surfaces. Re-emission into the air also makes THS a health concern for those who suffer from respiratory diseases. The present study aimed to elucidate the mechanistic pathways involved in THS-induced respiratory toxicity and the accelerative potential of THS in an H2O2-induced oxidative stress model of human airway epithelia in vitro. Materials and Methods: THS extracted from terrycloth exposed to 3R4F cigarettes was assessed via 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay to identify cytotoxicity. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was determined via 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) fluorescence intensity in a flow cytometer, and glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and catalase (CAT) activity were assessed spectrophotometrically. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) level was measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: THS 50% (v/v) with significant cytotoxicity in A549 cells upregulated intracellular ROS levels via a right-shifted fluorescence intensity of DCFDA compared with the control (p < 0.05), which was also amplified with H2O2 co-treatment. MDA levels remarkably increased with THS (p < 0.05). Both THS and THS + H2O2 led to notable GSH depletion, increased CAT activity, and increased IL-6 levels, which were attenuated by the negative control (N-acetylcysteine, 1mM) (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The induction of oxidative stress may be an important event in THS-induced airway toxicity that may contribute to the progression of respiratory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Third-hand smoke (THS) is tobacco smoke impurities that adhere to indoor materials such as clothing, dust, and surfaces and are released into the air. It is a major public health concern that, if unaddressed, could cause future harm. The aim of this study was to assess medical students’ knowledge of THS and to increase awareness. In March and April 2023, students enrolled in the medical programs at the School of Medicine for the 2022–2023 academic year were contacted using an online Google survey method and asked to complete the survey questions. The survey included questions on participants’ sociodemographic characteristics and the Beliefs about Third-Hand Smoke Scale (BATHS-T). The median age of the 351 students who voluntarily participated in the study was 20.0 (IQR = 2.0) years, 55.3% were female and 16% were smokers. The mean score of the answers given by the participants to the scale questions asking their level of knowledge about third-hand smoke was 35.3 ± 5.9. The least known question was “cigarette smoke particles can stay in a room for weeks”. The most frequently answered question was “breathing the air in a room where people smoked yesterday can damage the health of babies and children”. Scale scores were significantly higher for participants who did not have smokers living in their home, who did not allow smoking in their home, and who reported having information about passive smoking. Medical students had sufficient knowledge and awareness of third-hand smoke. Third-hand smoke should be included in training to increase knowledge and awareness of medical students as part of preventive medicine practice.

This study was conducted to determine pregnant women's exposure to third-hand smoke, beliefs and influencing factors. The study included 400 pregnant women in a tertiary care obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Turkey. Data were collected using personal information form, Beliefs About Third-Hand Smoke Scale (BATHS-T) and Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. 13.5% of the pregnant women smoked during pregnancy. However, 78.8% of the pregnant women were exposed to cigarette smoke at home. The mean score of BATHS-T scale and sub-scales increased in those whose spouses had university education or higher, and in pregnant women and their spouses who were public employees. The mean scores of BATHS-T scale and sub-scales were higher in pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy and in pregnant women with higher income levels. Community-based awareness of the effects of first, second and third-hand exposure to cigarette smoke on maternal and fetal health should be increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although the health effects of first‐hand smoke and second‐hand smoke are well known, third‐hand smoke (THS) is a relatively new concept. We estimated the prevalence of people's knowledge that THS is harmful to health, including for some subgroups, in a meta‐analysis. Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO Host, ProQuest, and YOKTEZ databases for the prevalence of people's knowledge that THS is harmful to health using specified search words. A total of 12 publications (n = 8549 people) were included in the meta‐analysis. The random effect model was used for meta‐analysis, and Cochran's Q test and I2 values were used to determine heterogeneity. Subgroup analyzes and meta‐regression were also performed. Results: The prevalence of people's knowledge that THS is harmful was 80.1%. The prevalence of people's knowledge that THS is harmful for children was 82%, and the prevalence of people's knowledge that THS is harmful for adults was 70.4%. For health professionals, the prevalence of people's knowledge that THS is harmful for children was 89.8%, the highest prevalence value calculated in this meta‐analysis. Cochran's Q test and I2 values indicated that the included studies were heterogeneous. Conclusions: In this meta‐analysis, the overall prevalence of people's knowledge that THS is harmful was 80.1%, but large variations were found between samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction This study evaluates the association between passive smoking, specifically secondhand smoke (SHS) and thirdhand smoke (THS) exposure, and sleep quality in a hypertensive population. Methods We enrolled 1427 eligible hypertensive patients from a 2022 national survey cross-sectional in China. Data on tobacco smoke exposure and sleep were collected via questionnaires. Multiple logistic regression and linear regression were employed to assess the relationship between passive smoking and sleep quality characteristics, as well as the correlation between passive smoking exposure characteristics and sleep quality. Results Among 589 hypertensive patients with no tobacco smoke exposure, 679 exposed to SHS, and 159 exposed to THS, SHS exposure was associated with a higher risk of poor sleep quality, even after adjusting for potential confounding factors (β=0.10; 95% CI: 0.32–0.95). No significant relationship was observed between THS exposure and sleep quality. SHS exposure was associated with various sleep quality characteristics, including shorter sleep duration (AOR=1.71; 95% CI: 1.06–2.76) and increased frequency of 1–2 sleep disturbances per week (AOR=1.68; 95% CI: 1.25–2.26). Individuals exposed to SHS were more likely to experience poorer subjective sleep quality (AOR=1.53; 95% CI: 1.07–2.21) and have sleep efficiency

Although third-hand smoke (THS) is a relatively new concept, it emerges as an important health problem. This study evaluated the beliefs of Turkish Pediatricians about THS. The survey, designed to be self-filled by pediatricians, provided information on demographic data, lifestyle factors, and beliefs about THS. Participant beliefs about THS were evaluated using the Beliefs About Third-Hand Smoke scale. This study was conducted by applying a web-based survey to pediatricians in Turkey. The Beliefs About Third-Hand Smoke scale scores were lower in participants who were male (odds ratio [OR] = 1.479; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.246–0.526; p <.001), have children (OR = 0.656; 95% CI, 0.156–0.665; p =.002), widowed/separated (OR = 0.498; 95% CI, −1.072 to −0.360; p <.001), a smoker (OR = 0.586; 95% CI, −0.711 to −0.355; p <.001), worked in State Hospital (OR = 0.574; 95% CI, −0.768 to −0.423; p <.001), and specialists (OR = 0.621; 95% CI, −0.608 to −0.207; p <.001). This study showed that pediatricians who were male, widowed/separated, a smoker, with children, working in a State Hospital, and specialists had less belief in the side effects of THS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Third-hand smoke (THS) has been recognized as a main exposure route to the chemical content of tobacco products. In the present study, potential exposure of people to primary aromatic amines (PAAs) release from indoor settled dusts in smoking and non-smoking cafés were studied for the first time. Nine compounds of PAAs in the indoor dust samples of waterpipe, cigarettes and non-smoking cafés in Bushehr were measured by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The mean concentration levels of ∑PAAs released through settled indoor dusts of waterpipe, cigarettes and non-smoking cafés were 728.23, 331.37 and 66.11 ng g−1, respectively. The results showed that the mean concentration levels of ∑PAAs were ranked as: waterpipe cafés ˃ cigarette cafés ˃ non-smoking cafés. Among the measured PAAs, aniline (ANL) and 2, 6-dimethylaniline (2, 6-DMA) have the highest levels. The findings also showed that the levels of PAAs had a negative and significant relationship (P

There is a large quantity of smokers and the distribution of tobacco smoke is widespread which causes the tobacco odor to become a typical unpleasant odor to the environment. Tobacco smoke in the environment is easily absorbed into fabrics with porous structural characteristics and the tobacco smoke will release continuously and slowly. The tobacco smoke in this process is also known as third-hand smoke . The presence of third-hand smoke will not only emit an unpleasant smell and detract from the image of the person wearing these clothes but also increase the number of textiles washing resulting in additional carbon emissions and even harm to the human body. We took cotton a common textile fabric as the research object and used the adsorption device and deodorization device to carry out the experiment. It should be noted that the main function parameters of the deodorization device include water vapor hot air and plasma which can be set freely according to the experimental design. Secondly we collected the smell scores of four evaluators subjective smell as subjective evaluation data and recorded the changes of nicotine peak area before and after deodorization operation and then used the calculated results as objective evaluation data. Thirdly according to the multiple stepwise regression analysis model we screened and analyzed the factors significantly affecting the effect of deodorization according to the response surface model. Finally the tobacco odor released from cotton fabrics was analyzed by headspace-gas chromatography / mass spectrometry HS-GC / MS. The results show that the R² of the response surface model is 0. 74 and the F-statistic is 38. 04 which shows that the model has high precision and good prediction and analysis effect. The results of the response surface analysis show that the effect of water vapour hot air and plasma on the removal of tobacco odor is significant and the effect of both water vapour and hot air on the removal of tobacco odor is positive but the excessively long water vapor duration will lead to the decline of the deodorization effect. The results show that the nicotine removal rate can reach 100% and the subjective evaluation score is only 1 when the water vapor is applied for 5 min the hot air for 39 min and the ion generator for 42 min. That is to say the effect of cigarette smell removal is the best. The results of GC-MS analysis show that the components of third-hand smoke include many kinds of compounds such as pyridine aldehyde and phenol and the smell scores of the textile cannot be judged by the content of one or several components in the textile. This study provides an effective basis for the further study of the formation mechanism and process of the third-hand smoke odor. Based on the experimental design and response surface theory we screen out the factors that have significant influence on the removal of cigarette smell from textiles and give the optimal combination of parameters. At the same time we analyze the components of cigarette smell adsorbed on cotton fabrics which can provide theoretical reference for the development and function optimization of textile deodorization products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to reveal pregnant women's beliefs about third-hand smoke and their exposure to tobacco smoke.Methods: The population of this cross-sectional study consisted of patients attending the obstetrics and gynaecology outpatient clinic of the hospital in Samsun, a province of Turkey on the Black Sea coast (annual average 4,000 pregnant women). The minimum sample size of the study was determined as 350 at a confidence interval of 95%, prevalence of 50% and margin of error 0.05. The study data were collected with the personal information form used to determine the personal characteristics of the participants, and the Beliefs about Third-Hand Smoke (BATHS-T) scale. The data were analysed in the SPSS 25.0 program using the descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis.Results: The mean age of the participating pregnant women was 26.84 ± 4.372 years. Of them, 48.4% were high school graduates and 86% did not work. Their mean gestational age was 29.85 ± 9.238 weeks, and 69.8% of them were in the third trimester. Of them, 9.8% were smokers, and the average number of cigarettes they smoked per day was 6.97 ± 4.931. The mean score they obtained from the BATHS-T scale was 3.79 ± 0.859. There was a significant relationship between the mean score obtained from the BATHS-T scale and the variables such as education and smoking status. As the level of education increased, exposure to third-hand smoke decreased (p < 0.05). The mean score the smoking pregnant women obtained from the BATHS-T scale was lower than that of the non-smoking pregnant women.Conclusion: High level of education decreases exposure to third-hand smoke. Belief in third-hand smoke is an important factor affecting pregnant women's smoking habit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Third-hand smoke (THS) is residual smoke after extinguishing a cigarette and adhering to surfaces. Re-emission into the air also makes THS a health concern for those who suffer from respiratory diseases. The present study aimed to elucidate the mechanistic pathways involved in THS-induced respiratory toxicity and the accelerative potential of THS in an H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress model of human airway epithelia in vitro ., Materials and Methods: THS extracted from terrycloth exposed to 3R4F cigarettes was assessed via 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay to identify cytotoxicity. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was determined via 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) fluorescence intensity in a flow cytometer, and glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and catalase (CAT) activity were assessed spectrophotometrically. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) level was measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay., Results: THS 50% ( v/v ) with significant cytotoxicity in A549 cells upregulated intracellular ROS levels via a right-shifted fluorescence intensity of DCFDA compared with the control ( p < 0.05), which was also amplified with H 2 O 2 co-treatment. MDA levels remarkably increased with THS ( p < 0.05). Both THS and THS + H 2 O 2 led to notable GSH depletion, increased CAT activity, and increased IL-6 levels, which were attenuated by the negative control (N-acetylcysteine, 1 mM) ( p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The induction of oxidative stress may be an important event in THS-induced airway toxicity that may contribute to the progression of respiratory diseases., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors., (Copyright© 2024 The Author. Published by Galenos Publishing House on behalf of Turkish Pharmacists’ Association.)

The relationship between third-hand smoke (THS) exposure and lifespan remains inadequately explored. Our study sought to clarify the effects of THS on aging and lifespan. In this pursuit, our cross-sectional analysis assessed hematological aging markers in 986 non-smokers and examined lifespan alterations using a Drosophila model. THS exposure levels were quantified through survey metrics consistent with the Global Adult Tobacco Survey. The findings revealed that THS exposure significantly accelerated biological aging, with exposed individuals exhibiting an average increase in biological age of 3.04 years compared to their unexposed counterparts (p < 0.05). Correspondingly, the Drosophila model reflected these outcomes, showing a reduction in lifespan by 16.07 days (p < 0.01). Proteomic analyses identified MRPL2 as a pivotal protein in THS-induced aging, linking its expression to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Further metabolomic profiling highlighted disruptions in energy metabolism pathways. Follow-up in vitro experiments confirmed the role of MRPL2 in the aging processes at the cellular level. Overall, our results indicate that THS exposure is a significant accelerant of aging, providing new perspectives on the health consequences of environmental smoke residues., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have declared that no conflicts of interest exist., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Smoking has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the fifth highest threat to humanity. Smoking, a leading disease promoter, is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases. NCDs account for 63% of all deaths worldwide. Passive smoking is also a health risk. Globally, more than a third of all people are regularly exposed to harmful smoke. Air pollution is a common global problem in which pollutants emitted into the atmosphere undergo a series of physical or chemical reactions to produce various oxidation products, which are often referred to as secondary pollutants. Secondary pollutants include ozone (O3), sulfur trioxide (SO3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and respirable particulate matter (PM). It is worth mentioning that third-hand smoke (THS), formed by the reaction of nicotine with second-hand smoke (SHS) caused by indoor O3 or nitrous acid (HONO), is a major indoor secondary pollutant that cannot be ignored. As a form of indoor air pollution that is relatively difficult to avoid, THS exists in any corner of the environment where smokers live. In this paper, we summarize the important research progress on the main components, detection, and toxicity of THS and look forward to future research directions. Scientific understanding of THS and its hazards will facilitate smoking bans in indoor and public places and raise public concern for how to prevent and remove THS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background With the increase of the number of smokers, tobacco exposure among pregnant women is becoming more and more common. Pregnant women exposed to first-hand smoke and second-hand smoke are susceptible to physiological and psychological health issues has been proved in previous studies. Nevertheless, there are no enough studies focus on the impact of third-hand smoke during pregnancy. This study aimed to assess and compare health-related quality of life for pregnant women with exposure to first-hand smoke, second-hand smoke, third-hand smoke and non-exposure to tobacco in mainland China. Methods National-based cross-sectional study is based on a questionnaire survey which collects information including demographics, smoking behaviors and self-evaluation. All questionnaires were delivered and collected from August to September 2019. EuroQol group’s visual analog scale and EuroQoL Five-dimension Questionnaire were used to collect data in mainland China. Results Totally, 15,682 pregnant women were included in this study, among which non-exposure to smoke were 7564 (48.2%), exposed to first-hand smoke, second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke were 89 (0.6%), 2349 (15.0%), and 5680 (36.2%) respectively. Pregnant women without tobacco exposure had the highest EuroQol group’s visual analog scale score (mean value = 85.4[SD = 14.0]), while those with first-hand smoke had the lowest score (mean value = 77.4[SD = 22.2]). Among all five dimensions of EuroQoL Five-dimension Questionnaire, there were significant differences of EQ-index among groups with different tobacco exposure in usual activity and anxiety or depression dimensions (p

There is scarce evidence on the knowledge and opinions about third-hand smoke (THS) of health care professionals. The main aim of this study was to explore the knowledge and opinions of health care professionals about THS and, secondarily, to explore the factors that are associated with this knowledge. Cross-sectional study using a snowball sample of multi-national health care professionals (n = 233). Data were obtained from an exploratory, online questionnaire. The health care professionals' knowledge and opinions on THS were described with absolute frequency and percentage. Chi-square and Fisher-Freeman-Halton exact tests, and simple logistic regression models, were used to explore the bivariate association between the knowledge of the concept THS and sex, continent of birth, educational level, occupation, years of experience, and attitude towards smoking. Finally, a multivariable logistic regression model incorporating all the above variables was fitted. A total of 65.2% of the participants were unaware of the term THS before the study began. In the bivariate analysis, an association was found between prior knowledge of the term THS and continent of birth (p-value = 0.030) and occupation (p-value = 0.014). In the multivariable logistic regression model, a significant association was observed between prior knowledge of the concept THS and sex (p-value = 0.005), continent of birth (p-value = 0.012), and occupation (p-value = 0.001). Almost two out of three health care professionals who participated in our study did not know what THS was. Educational activities on this topic should be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoking has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the fifth highest threat to humanity. Smoking, a leading disease promoter, is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases. NCDs account for 63% of all deaths worldwide. Passive smoking is also a health risk. Globally, more than a third of all people are regularly exposed to harmful smoke. Air pollution is a common global problem in which pollutants emitted into the atmosphere undergo a series of physical or chemical reactions to produce various oxidation products, which are often referred to as secondary pollutants. Secondary pollutants include ozone (O3), sulfur trioxide (SO3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and respirable particulate matter (PM). It is worth mentioning that third-hand smoke (THS), formed by the reaction of nicotine with second-hand smoke (SHS) caused by indoor O3 or nitrous acid (HONO), is a major indoor secondary pollutant that cannot be ignored. As a form of indoor air pollution that is relatively difficult to avoid, THS exists in any corner of the environment where smokers live. In this paper, we summarize the important research progress on the main components, detection, and toxicity of THS and look forward to future research directions. Scientific understanding of THS and its hazards will facilitate smoking bans in indoor and public places and raise public concern for how to prevent and remove THS.

Background: With the increase of the number of smokers, tobacco exposure among pregnant women is becoming more and more common. Pregnant women exposed to first-hand smoke and second-hand smoke are susceptible to physiological and psychological health issues has been proved in previous studies. Nevertheless, there are no enough studies focus on the impact of third-hand smoke during pregnancy. This study aimed to assess and compare health-related quality of life for pregnant women with exposure to first-hand smoke, second-hand smoke, third-hand smoke and non-exposure to tobacco in mainland China.Methods: National-based cross-sectional study is based on a questionnaire survey which collects information including demographics, smoking behaviors and self-evaluation. All questionnaires were delivered and collected from August to September 2019. EuroQol group's visual analog scale and EuroQoL Five-dimension Questionnaire were used to collect data in mainland China.Results: Totally, 15,682 pregnant women were included in this study, among which non-exposure to smoke were 7564 (48.2%), exposed to first-hand smoke, second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke were 89 (0.6%), 2349 (15.0%), and 5680 (36.2%) respectively. Pregnant women without tobacco exposure had the highest EuroQol group's visual analog scale score (mean value = 85.4[SD = 14.0]), while those with first-hand smoke had the lowest score (mean value = 77.4[SD = 22.2]). Among all five dimensions of EuroQoL Five-dimension Questionnaire, there were significant differences of EQ-index among groups with different tobacco exposure in usual activity and anxiety or depression dimensions (p < 0.001).Conclusions: Third-hand smoke exposure had close relationship with low health-related quality of life in pregnant women. Moreover, second-hand smoke exposure significantly led more problems on mental dimension of pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Third-hand smoke (THS) has been recognized as a main exposure route to the chemical content of tobacco products. In the present study, potential exposure of people to primary aromatic amines (PAAs) release from indoor settled dusts in smoking and non-smoking cafés were studied for the first time. Nine compounds of PAAs in the indoor dust samples of waterpipe, cigarettes and non-smoking cafés in Bushehr were measured by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The mean concentration levels of ∑PAAs released through settled indoor dusts of waterpipe, cigarettes and non-smoking cafés were 728.23, 331.37 and 66.11 ng g−1, respectively. The results showed that the mean concentration levels of ∑PAAs were ranked as: waterpipe cafés ˃ cigarette cafés ˃ non-smoking cafés. Among the measured PAAs, aniline (ANL) and 2, 6-dimethylaniline (2, 6-DMA) have the highest levels. The findings also showed that the levels of PAAs had a negative and significant relationship (P < 0.05) with "the ventilation rate", "number of window/doors", and "café area", but a positive and significant relationship with "the number of active smokers" and "the time from last painting" (P < 0.05). The estimated daily intake (EDI) of PAAs in settled indoor dusts for different age groups (infants, toddlers, children, teenagers, and adults) were ranged from 52.5 to 3832.8 ng kg−1-bw day−1, and EDI value for toddlers was higher than others groups. Although all obtained EDI values were lower than acceptable exposure values recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), but chronic exposure can be harmful to health. Hence, more comprehensive studies are needed to evaluate different chemical contents and potential health effects of THS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diseases and deaths due to smoking are still a major public health problem, which is still the leading cause of death in the world. Today, the harmful effects of active smoking and second hand cigarette smoke on health are clearly known. However, the concept of third-hand smoke (THS) exposure, a new concept, is a relatively new definition in the area of environmental and public health. The third-hand smoke (THS) consists of residual cigarette smoke gases and particles that settle on the surface. Studies evaluating the presence of tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA) in house dust samples have shown that THS is an important source of exposure to TSNA. Investigations on animals estimating human exposure, it has been found that THS contains tobacco smoke compounds, which can stay for months on internal surfaces and in dust for months, and that it is re-released into the air as gaseous. In addition, surface chemicals in the surroundings and in dust can produce additional toxins as a result of various chemical reactions. Although it is premature to estimate the health impacts of THS as a whole, the health effects of TSNAs have been previously reported in the literature. Future studies should be directed at investigating the biological effects and consequences of THS on humans. This article will address the implications of THS exposure and the results of current studies conducted in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Our aim was to investigate the association between third-hand smoke exposure (THS) during pregnancy and postpartum depression (PPD) among Chinese women. Methods A total of 973 participants that completed the questionnaire and reviews were included in this cross-sectional study. The THS exposure was assessed based on a questionnaire with key questions from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (2nd edition) while postpartum depression status was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between THS exposure during pregnancy and risk of PPD, after adjustment for potential confounders. Results The prevalence of postpartum depression among all participants was 17.8%. Of the 973 participants, 725 (74.5%) were exposed to THS during pregnancy while 248 (25.5%) were not. Compared with those who were never exposed to passive smoking, puerperal women who were exposed to THS were at higher risk of PPD (OR=1.71, 95% CI: 1.12–2.60) in the logistic regression model. Conclusions Our study suggests that exposure to third-hand smoke may be a risk factor for postpartum depression among Chinese women. Future preventive interventions should include strategies that target the puerperal women who are exposed to THS during pregnancy. Tobacco control measures that are effective in reducing the prevalence of smoking may have little effect in reducing women’s exposure to THS during pregnancy, especially in private places that urgently need other public health strategies.

Introduction To evaluate the level of tobacco smoke exposure in taxis in Korea using tobacco specific environmental markers. Methods From June to September 2012, cross-sectional measurements of air nicotine levels and dust nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NNK) concentrations were conducted in 17 taxis in Goyang, Korea. Field investigators completed an observational questionnaire on building characteristics, smoking policies and evidence of smoking. Descriptive statistics including geometric means (GMs) ± standard deviations were produced for air nicotine levels and dust NNK concentrations. Results There was no evidence of active smoking in the 17 taxis monitored, despite the fact that 10 drivers were current smokers. The overall GMs of air nicotine and dust NNK concentration were 0.42 μg/m3 and 6.78 pg/mg, respectively. These levels were 3.4-fold and 2.6-fold higher in taxis whose drivers were current smokers compared to the taxis of nonsmokers (GM of air nicotine: 0.65 μg/m3 vs 0.19 μg/m3; GM of dust NNK: 10.07 pg/mg vs 3.85 pg/mg). Conclusions The present study shows that air nicotine and dust NNK were detected in all taxis regardless of whether the taxi driver was smoking or not, which indicates the potential for exposure to SHS or THS. It suggests that an appreciable level of SHS and TSH exposure might occur if the environment is not completely smoke-free and enforcement is lacking.

The concept of third-hand cigarette smoke is a newly-emerging field of interest in public health. Release of second-hand smoke chemicals on the textile surface as a third-hand smoke to the surrounding environment is a malodorous release of hazardous chemicals to health. In this study, the influence of MCT-β-cyclodextrin treatments on not only the third-hand cigarette smoke odor release property but also on the mechanical and dyeing performances of cotton fabric was investigated. MCT-β-cyclodextrin treatments increased the stiffness and tensile strength of cotton fabric. The presence of MCT-β-cyclodextrin on cotton fabric did not significantly affect the dyeing properties and caused no profound effects on the obtained color strength levels on fabrics dyed with Drimarene reactive dyes. MCT-β-cyclodextrin treatment resulted in a significant reduction of the third-hand smoke odor release intensity from the smoke-contaminated cotton, for both dyed and undyed fabrics. The reactive dyes resulted in a positive influence on the third-hand smoke odor release intensity. MCT-β-cyclodextrin presence on the dyed fabric enabled a significant decrease in odor and produced a masking effect with an odor release reduction of up to 65.5%. Inclusion complex between the β-cyclodextrin rings and the volatile organic compounds of the cigarette smoke is believed to be a smoke odor chemical trapping mechanism. MCT-β-cyclodextrin treatment effectively masks chemical malodors from second-hand cigarette smoke and lessens the third-hand smoke odor chemical release onto cotton fabric. Therefore, MCT-β-cyclodextrin treatment may lessen the potential health hazards of third-hand smoke released from the contaminated textile surfaces. This is promising and encouraging for odor emission control and third-hand smoke release problems for smoke-exposed textile products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Third-hand smoke (THS) can be defined as the contamination of surfaces by second-hand smoke. This residue can form further pollutants which can be re-suspended in dust or be re-emitted into the gas phase. THS is a complex mixture and as a result studies have focused on nicotine as a marker of THS, it being the most abundant and indicative organic compound deposited. In this present study, the extraction of dust wipe samples and the subsequent chromatographic conditions required for the separation of nicotine by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection were investigated and optimised. The optimum chromatographic conditions were identified as a 150 mm×4.6 mm, 5 µm C18 column with a mobile phase consisting of 65 % methanol, 35 % pH 8 20 mM phosphate buffer. Hydrodynamic voltammetry was used to optimise the applied potential which was identified to be +1.8 V ( vs. stainless steel). Under these conditions, a linear range for nicotine of 13 to 3240 µg/L (0.26 ng-65 ng on column) was obtained, with a detection limit of 3.0 µg/L (0.06 ng on column) based on a signal-to-noise ratio of three. Dust wipe samples were extracted in methanol with the aid of sonication. Mean recoveries of 98.4 % (% CV=7.8 %) were found for dust wipe samples spiked with 6.50 µg of nicotine. Musk ketone, urea and stearic acid were found not to interfere. Communal entrance ways were found to be contaminated with THS nicotine levels of between 66.8 and 156 µg/m2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To review the importance of and evidence-based strategies to prevent tobacco use and promote tobacco cessation in the pediatric setting. Data Sources Literature review of evidence-based resources on tobacco use and prevention/cessation interventions in the pediatric/adolescent population. Conclusion Knowledge of the impact of tobacco use on cancer risk, second- and third-hand smoke carcinogenesis, and newer methods of tobacco delivery is necessary to select appropriate and effective prevention and cessation strategies. Implications for Nursing Practice Systematic evaluation of both parents and children for tobacco use can identify patients that will benefit from tobacco cessation interventions. Patients and families need education and support so they can make good decisions and adhere to recommendations for prevention and cessation of tobacco use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first report on the determination of nicotine in third-hand smoke (THS) in outdoor communal areas. The term THS can be defined as the contamination of surfaces by second-hand smoke. This can remain for extended periods of time and undergo further chemical reactions to produce further pollutants which can be re-suspended in dust or re-emitted into the gas phase. As THS is a rather complex mixture, studies have focused on using nicotine as a marker of THS, as it is the most abundant organic compound emitted during smoking. In this present study, the extraction of dust-wipe samples and the subsequent chromatographic conditions required for the separation of nicotine by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography were optimized. The optimum chromatographic conditions were identified as a 150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm Zorbax Carbohydrate Analysis column with a mobile phase consisting of 90 % acetonitrile, 10 % water at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min with UV detection at 259 nm. Further investigations were made on samples collected from surfaces of public entrance ways. Under these conditions, a linear range for nicotine of 0.05 to 24 µg/mL (1.0-480 ng on column) was obtained, with a detection limit of 1.0 ng on column based on a signal-to-noise ratio of three. Acetone, naphthalene, phenol, musk ketone, and palmitic acid were found not to interfere. Communal entrance ways were found to be contaminated with THS nicotine levels of between 5.09 µg/m2 and 309 µg/m2 comparable to that found in other previous studies of indoor environments. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the effects of active smoking and second-hand smoke (SHS) are well documented, the concept of third-hand smoke (THS) is a relatively new phenomenon in the environmental and public health field. This notion was coined in 2009 (Winickoff et al. in Pediatrics 123(1):e74-e79, ) but was not really brought to light until the New York Times published an article on the topic (Rabin in A new cigarette hazard: 'third-hand smoke'. The New York Times, , ). Research on THS is fairly new and currently only limited animal studies have been performed that explore the health impacts associated with an individual THS-specific component. The public at large has a limited understanding of this new concept. As such, attitudes and beliefs surrounding THS exposure are still immature. Future research must be conducted to facilitate hazard identification, exposure and risk assessment to address its health impact on susceptible populations and to differentiate THS versus active smoking and SHS. In addition, policies and laws concerning tobacco smoke will need to be reviewed, possibly revised with the role of THS considered as an indispensable component of a broader tobacco control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]