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TSNA Exposure: Levels of NNAL Among Canadian Tobacco Users

Christine D Czoli1, David Hammond2

  • 1School of Public Health & Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Nicotine & Tobacco Research : Official Journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
|December 8, 2014
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Canadian tobacco users have lower exposure to tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) compared to US users. This study characterized TSNA exposure, specifically NNAL, in Canadian adults, finding lower levels than in the US.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Toxicology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Tobacco smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, including carcinogens like tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs).
  • Variations in TSNA levels across markets raise questions about human exposure and risk differences.
  • This study focuses on characterizing TSNA exposure in Canadian tobacco users.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine tobacco-specific nitrosamine (TSNA) exposure among Canadian tobacco users.
  • To quantify levels of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), a TSNA metabolite, in Canadian adults.
  • To identify predictors of NNAL levels in Canadian tobacco users.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the 2007-2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey (n=507 tobacco users).
  • Measured urinary NNAL, a metabolite of NNK, and creatinine-corrected NNAL.
  • Employed linear regression to analyze predictors of urinary NNAL levels.

Main Results:

  • The mean population level of total urinary NNAL was 71.2 pg/ml (82.0 pg/mg creatinine).
  • NNAL levels correlated positively with age, female gender, daily cigarette consumption, and urinary cotinine and creatinine levels.
  • Canadian tobacco users exhibited mean urinary NNAL levels approximately one-fourth of those reported for US counterparts.

Conclusions:

  • Provides the first national data on TSNA exposure for Canadian tobacco users.
  • Highlights significant differences in TSNA exposure between Canadian and US tobacco users.
  • The impact of these exposure differences on actual health risks remains to be determined.

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