Amalia, BeladentaFu Balboa, MarcelaTigova, OlenaBallbè i Gibernau, MontsePaniello Castillo, BlancaCastellano, YolandaVyzikidou, Vergina K.O'Donnell, RachelDobson, RuaraidhLugo, AlessandraVeronese, ChiaraPérez Ortuño, RaúlPascual, José AntonioCortés, NúriaGil, FernandoOlmedo, PabloSoriano, Joan B.Boffi, RobertoRuprecht, ArioAncochea Bermúdez, JulioLópez, Maria J.Gallus, SilvanoVardavas, ConstantineSemple, SeanFernández Muñoz, Esteve2022-10-272022-10-272022-09-071879-1026https://hdl.handle.net/2445/190280Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use emits potentially hazardous compounds and deteriorates indoor air quality. Home is a place where e-cigarettes may frequently be used amid its increasing prohibition in public places. This study assessed the real-life scenario of bystanders' exposure to secondhand e-cigarette aerosol (SHA) at home. A one-week observational study was conducted within the TackSHS project in four countries (Greece, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom) in 2019 including: 1) homes of e-cigarette users living together with a non-user/non-smoker; and 2) control homes with no smokers nor e-cigarette users. Indoor airborne nicotine, PM2.5, and PM1.0 concentrations were measured as environmental markers of SHA. Biomarkers, including nicotine and its metabolites, tobacco -specific nitrosamines, propanediol, glycerol, and metals were measured in participants' saliva and urine samples. E-cigarette use characteristics, such as e-cigarette refill liquid's nicotine concentration, e-cigarette type, place of e-cigarette use at home, and frequency of ventilation, were also collected. A total of 29 e-cigarette users' homes and 21 control homes were included. The results showed that the seven-day concentrations of airborne nicotine were quantifiable in 21 (72.4 %) out of 29 e-cigarette users' homes; overall, they were quite low (geometric mean: 0.01 mu g/m3; 95 % CI: 0.01-0.02 mu g/m(3)) and were all below the limit of quantification in control homes. Seven-day concentrations of PM2.5 and PM1.0 in e-cigarette and control homes were similar. Airborne nicotine and PM concentrations did not differ according to different e-cigarette use characteristics. Non-users residing with e-cigarette users had low but significantly higher levels of cotinine, 3 '-OH-cotinine and 1,2-propanediol in saliva, and cobalt in urine than non-users living in control homes. In conclusion, e-cigarette use at home created bystanders' exposure to SHA regardless of the e-cigarette use characteristics. Further studies are warranted to assess the implications of SHA exposure for smoke-free policy.10 p.application/pdfengcc by-nc-nd (c) Amalia, Beladenta et al., 2022http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/Cigarretes electròniquesQualitat de l'aireElectronic cigarettesAir qualityinfo:eu-repo/semantics/article2022-10-27info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess36099951