Personal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in eight European cities.

Exposures to respirable suspended particles (RSP) and both the particulate and vapour phases of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) were monitored in eight European cities. Over 1500 housewives and office workers participated in the studies by wearing personal monitors over a 24-h period to assess exposures in the home and workplace. Based upon median 24-h time weighted average (TWA) concentrations, the most highly exposed subjects throughout Europe were office workers living and working with smokers. The median TWA RSP, ETS  article and nicotine levels for these workers across the eight cities were 58, 12 and 1.2 μg m·3 respectively, with highest RSP levels found in Barcelona and the lowest in Stockholm. Similarly for housewives living with smokers, the median RSP, ETS particle and nicotine levels were 52, 4.1 and 0.63 μg m-3 respectively, with lowest RSP levels in Bremen and highest in Turin. ETS exposures were highest overall in the Mediterranean cities, Barcelona and Turin.