The objective of this paper is to provide a basis for effectively protecting nonsmokers from acute sensory impacts and for preventing deterioration of indoor air quality caused by environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) emissions. An olfactory experiment determined odor detection thresholds (OT) of sidestream ETS (sETS), and with a full-body exposure experiment we investigated sensory symptoms at very low sETS exposure concentrations. OT concentrations for sETS are three and more orders of magnitude lower than ETS concentrations measured in field settings and correspond to a fresh air dilution volume of > 19,000 [m.sup.3] per cigarette, over 100 times more than had previously been suggested for acceptable indoor air conditions. Eye and nasal irritations were observed at one order of magnitude lower sETS concentrations than previously reported, corresponding to a fresh air dilution volume of > 3,000 [m.sup.3] per cigarette. These findings have great practical implications for defining indoor air quality standards in indoor compartments where ETS emissions occur. Our study strongly supports the implementation and control of smoking policies such as segregating smoking areas from areas where smoking is not permitted or instituting smoking bans in public buildings.
Over the past years, several studies evaluating acute health impacts and sensory responses from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) have been performed. Chamber studies, evaluating lung functions of asthmatics and other sensitive subjects, have used sidestream ETS (sETS) concentrations between 2 and > 15 ppm carbon monoxide (1-3), and studies focusing on sensory symptoms have used ETS at lower concentrations (4-7). For eye irritations, a tolerable limit of 1.5-2 ppm CO has been reported. Significant increases of perceptive eye and nasal irritations as well as annoyance were observed at respirable suspended particulate matter (RSP) concentrations of 58 [micro]g/[m.sup.3], corresponding to a time-weighted average concentration of 0.22 ppm CO, and led to a significant decrease in air quality acceptability..............
