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

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.