Tobacco Smoke:
Methodology for Assessing the Exposure

Gerhard Scherer

ABF Analytisch-Biologisches Forschungslabor GmbH, Munich, Germany

Corresponding author: Gerhard Scherer
    ABF Analytisch-Biologisches Forschungslabor GmbH
    Goethestr. 20
    D-80336 München, Germany
    Telephone: +49-89-535395
    Fax number: +49-89-5328039
    E-mail: gerhard.scherer@abf-lab.com

CEJOEM 2005, Vol.11. No.2.: 102–122

Key words:
Tobacco smoke, cigarette smoking, passive smoking, exposure, biomarkers

Abbreviations:
2-AN
4-ABP
APCI
CA
ETS
GC-MS
LC-MS/MS
LOQ		 = 2-aminonaphthalene
= 4-aminobiphenyl
= atmospheric pressure chemical ionization
= chromosomal aberrations
= environmental tobacco smoke
= gas chromatography with mass spectrometry
= liquid chromatography with tandem
= limit of quantification		 MN
NICI
o-T
SCE
SIM
SPE
SPMA
ttMA		 = micronuclei
= negative ion chemical ionization
= ortho-toluidine
= sister chromatic exchanges
= selected ion monitoring
= solid phase extraction
= S-phenylmercapturic acid mass spectrometry
= trans,trans-muconic acid

Abstract:
Smoking, particularly cigarette smoking, is a major source of human diseases including cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), and cardiovascular diseases. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has been also associated with these diseases, the relative risk, however, is much lower. Solid determination of the exposure dose in smokers (active smoking) and non-smokers (passive smoking) is essential for any valid risk assessment. For this purpose, using smoking machine-derived concentrations in mainstream and sidestream smoke are of limited value, since the smoking behaviour is very variable. In addition, exposure of non-smokers to tobacco smoke largely varies with ambient conditions. Measuring the internal dose of tobacco smoke constituents in body fluids of persons provides a useful method to assess the exposure dose. In this paper, the concept of human biomonitoring and biomarkers is discussed. As examples, data on biomarkers for assessing the smoking-related exposure to benzene, polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons, and aromatic amines are presented.

Received: 7 January 2005
Accepted: 4 May 2005
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