Abstract
Concentrations of cadmium, a toxic trace element, were measured in the indoor air of several public places where environmental tobacco smoke was present. Particulate-phase cadmium concentrations were determined by analyzing air filter samples using epithermal instrumental neutron activation analysis in conjunction with a Compton suppression γ-ray detection system, in which the detection limit for cadmium was reduced to a few nanograms per filter. A cascade impactor and a personal filter sampler were used to collect the indoor suspended particulate matter for size-fractionated mass as well as total mass, respectively. Results show that where environmental tobacco smoke is present, cadmium concentrations are significantly higher than background and that about 80% of the cadmium found in indoor airborne particulate matter is associated with particles with aerodynamic diameters less than 1.8 μm. In one instance, airborne cadmium concentrations in a music club were found to be 38 ng/m3, which is at least 30 times higher than background.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1506-1509 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Analytical chemistry |
Volume | 65 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 1 1993 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Analytical Chemistry