Journal Article

Contamination of surfaces in children’s homes with nicotine and the potent carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamine NNK

Lopez-Galvez, Nicolas, Stone, Lara, Stone, Timothy M, Mahabee-Gittens, E. Melinda, Dodder, Nathan G, Merianos, Ashley L, Jandarov, Roman A, Hoh, Eunha, Quintana, Penelope J. E, Matt, Georg E

2024

Overview

BackgroundTobacco smoke exposure (TSE) through secondhand and thirdhand smoke is a modifiable risk factor that contributes to childhood morbidity. Limited research has assessed surface TSE pollution in children’s environments as a potential source of thirdhand smoke exposure, and none have examined levels of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) on surfaces.ObjectiveThis study measured surface NNK and nicotine in children’s homes and associations with sociodemographics and parent-reported TSE behaviors. We assessed correlations of surface NNK and nicotine with dust NNK, dust nicotine, and child cotinine.MethodsHome surface wipe NNK and nicotine data from 84 children who lived with smokers were analyzed. Tobit and simple linear regression analyses were conducted to assess associations of surface NNK and nicotine with child characteristics. Spearman’s (ρ) correlations assessed the strength of associations between environmental markers and child cotinine.ResultsNearly half (48.8%) of children’s home surfaces had detectable NNK and 100% had detectable nicotine. The respective geometric means (GMs) of surface NNK and nicotine loadings were 14.0 ng/m2 and 16.4 µg/m2. Surface NNK positively correlated with surface nicotine (ρ = 0.54, p < 0.001) and dust NNK (ρ = 0.30, p = 0.020). Surface nicotine positively correlated with dust NNK (ρ = 0.42, p < 0.001) and dust nicotine (ρ = 0.24, p = 0.041). Children with household incomes ≤ $15,000 had higher surface NNK levels (GM = 18.7 ng/m2, p = 0.017) compared to children with household incomes >$ 15,000 (GM = 7.1 ng/m2). Children with no home smoking bans had higher surface NNK (GM = 18.1 ng/m2, p = 0.020) and surface nicotine (GM = 17.7 µg/m2, p = 0.019) levels compared to children with smoking bans (GM = 7.5 ng/m2, 4.8 µg/m2, respectively).ImpactAlthough nicotine on surfaces is an established marker of thirdhand smoke pollution, other thirdhand smoke contaminants have not been measured on surfaces in the homes of children living with smokers. We provide evidence that the potent carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamine NNK was detectable on surfaces in nearly half of children’s homes, and nicotine was detectable on all surfaces. Surface NNK was positively correlated with surface nicotine and dust NNK. Detectable surface NNK levels were found in homes with indoor smoking bans, indicating the role of NNK as a persistent thirdhand smoke pollutant accumulating on surfaces as well as in dust.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone / Bans / Biomarkers / Carcinogens / Children / Children & youth / Childrens health / Contaminants / Correlation / Cotinine / Dust / Health risks / Morbidity / Nicotine / Nitrosamine / Nitrosamines / No-smoking policies / Regression analysis / Risk factors / Smoke / Smoking / Sociodemographics / Tobacco