The Influence of Secondhand Smoke (SHS) on Outdoor Air Quality in Leisure and Sport Facilities; Measurements at a Stadium, Car-Free Recreation Zone, City Park

摘要

BACKGROUND: Outdoor SHS is not regarded as health risk, however outdoor SHS exposure is often encountered in leisure and sport activities areas. AIMS: to evaluate outdoor exposure to SHS. METHOD: Measurements of PM2.5 with OPC Aerocet 531 and BC (Black Carbon) with Aethalometers AE51, nicotine vapour phase with active samplers and GC. Procedures: a) Stadium: Sets of analyzers and nicotine samplers inside and outside the facility. Airborn nicotine sampled before, during and after game end. b) Car free recreation zone: measurements from Friday until Monday in pedestrian area and in parallel trafficked zones, c) City Parks: analyzers on park benches downwind from smokers, d) Public Beach: BC analyzers upwind and downwind beach umbrellas. In all places cigarette consumption estimated. RESULTS: Stadium: BC, PM2.5 and airborn nicotinemeans outside stadium: 2.1, 6.2, and 0.12 μg/m3 respectively, inside during game: 3.1,13.9, 3.16 μg/m3, increasing factor of 1.5, 2.2, 25.9 for BC, PM2.5 and nicotine respectively (p ＜ 0.005). Car free recreation zone: BC and PM2.5 mean concentrations during quiet hours in pedestrian zone: 2.8, and 35.4, while they increased to 4.1 and 64.9 μg/m3 respectivelyduring rush hours (p=0.0001). In trafficked zone during quiet hours: 3.7, 30.4 and 4.8, 31.8 μg/m3 during rush hours for BC and PM2.5 respectively. Nicotine: ＜ 0.02 μg/m3 in trafficked zone and 0.26 μg/m3 in pedestrian zone. City parks: means background: 5.1,16.6 μg/m3 while 12.6, 17.8 μg/m3 sitting near smokers for BC (p= 0.000) and PM2.5 (p= 0.039) respectively. Public beach: mean BC upwind: 878.00 ng/m3 and 1518 /m3 downwind (p=0.000), with peak of 6,049.00 ng/m3 at 5 meters from two smokers. CONCLUSION: Air quality in car-free areas during rush hours is worse than in parallel high-traffic street. Increase of more than 1 epidemiological change unit for BC and PM2.5 is observed due to SHS with concern for short- and long-term health consequences.