[Influence of smoking topography on respirabile suspended particulates concentrations in main and side stream]

The aim of the study was: 1) to assess RSPs concentration in MS and SS of the cigarettes smoked in a wide variety of topography parameters (various: puff volumes [V], puff flows [W] and breaks between puffs [T]); 2) to assess smokers' exposure to tobacco-smoke-derived respirabile suspended particles.

Tobacco smoke was generated using a self-constructed automatic smoking machine. The device is highly accurate and precise (SD +/- 1%), which was confirmed by checking smoking topography parameters with CressMicro portable monitor (Plowshare, USA). One full-flavored cigarette brand, available commercially in Poland was used for RSPs determination. The topography parameters were changed as follows: V (25-60 ml); W (27-52 ml/s) and T (20-60s). The MS and SS were collected in containers of 51 and 201, respectively. Additionally, the SS was sampled according to ISO 3308. Finally, RSP2.5 were measured using DustTrak 8520 (TSI, USA).

MS RSP2.5 concentration varied from 0.14 +/- 0.01 (V = 25 ml, W = 52 ml/s, T = 60s) to 2.215 +/- 0.17 mg/cig. (V = 60 ml, W = 52 ml/ s, T =20s), whereas the SS RSP2.5 concentration varied from 2.79 +/- 0.03 (V = 25 ml, W = 41 m/s, T = 60 s) to 18.3 +/- 1.0 mg/cig (V = 35 ml, W = 35 ml/s, T = 20s). The MS and SS RSP2.5 concentration in ISO 3308 conditions (V = 35 ml, W = 17.5 ml/s, T = 60 s) were 0.39 +/- 0.02 and 3.71 +/- 0.24 mg/cig., respectively. RSP2.5 levels determined with topography conditions which corresponded to the way Polish smokers smoke cigarettes (V = 60 mL, F = 3 8 mL/sec, T = 20 sec) were as follows: 0.74 +/- 0.08 for MS and 3.31 +/- 0.17 mg/cig for SS. There was a positive correlation between both V and F and RSP2.5 levels in MS. It was noticed that by increasing V and W parameters, the RSP2.5 in MS rises, while by decreasing T gives an opposite effect. As far as the RSP2.5 in SS is concerned, it is positively correlated with V value.

Smoking topography strongly affects smokers' exposure to RSP2.5. It confirms that using ISO standards for determination RPS2.5 derived from tobacco smoke might reflect inadequately active and passive smokers' exposure do RSP2.5.