Nicotine contamination in particulate matter sampling

Abstract

We have addressed potential contamination of PM2.5 filter samples by nicotine from cigarette smoke. We collected two nicotine samples - one nicotine sampling filter was placed in-line after the collection of PM 2.5 and the other stood alone. The overall correlation between the two nicotine filter levels was 0.99. The nicotine collected on the "stand-alone" filter was slightly greater than that on the "in-line" filter (mean difference = 1.10 μg/m3), but the difference was statistically significant only when PM2.5 was low (≤ 50 μg/m3). It is therefore important to account for personal and secondhand smoke exposure while assessing occupational and environmental PM.