Abstract
Purpose: This study assesses the validity of hair nicotine as a biomarker for secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. Although most biomarkers of tobacco-smoke exposure have a relatively short half-life, hair nicotine can measure several months of cumulative SHS exposure. Design: A cross-sectional study of hospitality-industry workers. Method: Hair samples were obtained from 207 bar and restaurant workers and analyzed by the reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) method. Self-reported tobacco use and sources of SHS exposure were assessed. Findings: Higher hair-nicotine levels were associated with more cigarettes smoked per day among smokers and a greater number of SHS-exposure sources among nonsmokers. Number of SHS exposure sources, gender, number of cigarettes smoked per day, and type of establishment predicted hair-nicotine levels. Discussion: Hair nicotine is a valid measure of SHS exposure. It may be used as an alternative biomarker to measure longer term SHS exposure.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 81-89 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Biological Research for Nursing |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 2007 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology , 39 , 665 - 669 . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ( 1990 ). The health benefits of smoking cessation: A report of the surgeon general (DHHS Publication No. CDC 90-8416). Washington, DC : U.S. Government Printing Office . U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ( 1992 ). Respiratory health effects of passive smoking: Lung cancer and other disorders (Rep. No. EPA/600/6-90/006F). Washington, DC : U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development . Wells, A. ( 1998 ).
Keywords
- Biomarkers
- Hair nicotine
- Hospitality workers
- Secondhand smoke
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Research and Theory
