Xiaochen Tang and Hugo Destaillats

Tracking Down Toxic Metals From Tobacco Smoke

Xiaochen Tang and Hugo Destaillats' recent study suggests that homes and public places where people smoke may have high levels of harmful trace metals from cigarettes, even after smoking stops. Their findings reported in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters reveal surprising new clues behind the lingering health effects of secondhand and thirdhand tobacco smoke.

Key Takeaways:

• They have detected and measured 28 trace metals in secondhand and thirdhand tobacco smoke.
• They found that indoor concentrations of cadmium, arsenic, and chromium can exceed California-based health risk guidelines in homes and public places where people smoke.
• The study suggests that long-term indoor exposure to secondhand and thirdhand smoke may increase respiratory health risks for nonsmokers.

For well over a decade, their group has studied toxic organic contaminants emitted during smoking. They are now also interested in completing the picture of smoke’s persistent legacy by assessing how trace metals also contribute to tobacco’s health burden.