Sorption Phenomena of Nicotine and Ethenylpyridine Vapors on Different Materials in a Test Chamber

Abstract

The sorption phenomena that nicotine undergoes in indoor environments are generally recognized as a limitation in its use as a marker for environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). An empirical description of these phenomena is proposed, and they are compared to those exhibited by a well-accepted ETS gas-phase marker, ethenylpyridine. The sorption of both compounds onto different surfaces (glass, cotton, and nylon fabrics) was investigated through dynamic experiments in a 1-m3 glass chamber. The combined influence of the nature of the sink and of relative humidity on the sorption of each compound is outlined. These results can be used to predict the dynamics and the magnitude of these processes. As much as 1 mg of nicotine can be adsorbed and re-emitted from 1 m2 of cotton cloth over a few hours, and consequently the significant biases likely to be caused if nicotine is used to assess low-level ETS exposures need to be addressed. These could arise from re-emission of adsorbed nicotine from indoor surfaces after the air would have been cleared of ETS, or from its transport on clothing and subsequent re-emission.