Occupational Exposure to Environmental Aerosols from Heated Tobacco Products in Japanese Catering Venues: a Pilot Study

Abstract

A study was conducted in six Tokyo venues, each with separate nonsmoking and heated tobacco product (HTP)-use areas. Additionally, three of the venues had a smoking booth within the HTP-use area. Airborne nicotine was used as a specific marker to assess the occupational exposure of waitstaff in these venues. In nonsmoking areas, area monitoring generally demonstrated airborne nicotine levels below the detection limit or marginally exceeded it, except for one venue (maximum 0.278 μg/m³). In HTP-use areas, nicotine levels ranged from 0.237 to 2.16 μg/m³ (minimum–maximum range, median 0.681 μg/m³). For personal exposure in nonsmoking areas, 15 out of 19 8 h time-weighted averages were below the limit of quantification (LOQ). In cigarette smoking booth-equipped venues, most personal exposure measurements of the waitstaff entering HTP-use areas were quantifiable at low levels. Whereas the venues without cigarette smoking booths showed lower exposure levels, with 58% of samples below LOQ. All parameters for working environment control class assessment defined by the Japan Society of Occupational Health were below 1% of the threshold limit value for nicotine (TLV, 500 μg/m³). Area monitoring data were used to statistically model the predictive nicotine distribution, indicating a 0.7% probability of exceeding 5 μg/m³. The findings of this study support that separated nonsmoking and HTP-use areas, active mechanical ventilation, and negative pressure in HTP-use areas to direct airflow help to reduce waitstaff’s occupational exposure to nicotine (used as proxy for HTP environmental emissions) below 1% TLV as well as help prevent HTP aerosols from entering nonsmoking areas.