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The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Building capacity for a tobacco-free world

July 12-15, 2006, Washington, DC, USA

Thursday, July 13, 2006 - 4:15 PM
62-4

Measurement of Pm2.5 as a Marker for Passive Exposure to Waterpipe in Cafes in Egypt

Mostafa K. Mohamed, MD, PHD1, Mohamed Momen2, Andrew Hyland, PhD3, Maged El Setouhy, PHD4, Mark J. Travers, MS3, and Christopher A. Loffredo, PhD5. (1) Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Ain Shams University and Egypt Smoking Prevention Research Initiative (ESPRI), Abassia Square, Cairo, Egypt, (2) Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Ain Shams University and ESPRI, Abassia Square, Cairo, Egypt, (3) Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263, (4) Department of Public Health, Ain Shams University and ESPRI, Abassia Square, Cairo, 1234, Egypt, (5) Department of Oncology, Georgetown University and ESPRI, Box 571472, 3800 Reservoir Rd, Washington, DC 20057-1472

Background: Secondhand smoke (SHS) contains at least 250 chemicals that are known to be toxic or carcinogenic. Fine particulate matter <2.5 microns (PM2.5) measurements have been shown to correlate well with levels of SHS due to cigarette smoking but very few studies have measured SHS exposure due to waterpipe smoking.

Objective: This study aims to measure PM2.5 levels associated with waterpipe smoking in shisha cafes

Methods: A convenience sample of 20 venues were selected in Cairo and Giza governorates in Egypt. A real-time aerosol monitor (with TRAKPRO Data Analysis Software , TSI Inc., SidePak AM510 Personal Aerosol Monitor, St. Paul, MN) was used to measure PM2.5., using the factory calibration setting of 1.0. Observational data were collected during air monitoring including room dimensions, number of attendance, number of burning waterpipes. After air monitoring the device was connected to a PC and data was downloaded and analyzed.

Results: The mean 8-hour time-weighted, average (SD) level of PM2.5 (TWA), in open air cafes was 56.5 ug/m3 (20.3) reflecting an average of 3.8 times higher than the standard level recommended by US EPA (15 ug/m3 ). However the mean TWA (SD) level in closed Ramadan tents was significantly much higher 141.6 ug/m3 (55.2), reflecting an average of 9.4 times higher than the standard EPA level. Conclusion: This study revealed that passive exposure to waterpipe smoke was higher in closed indoor places, posing a significant risk to health and providing evidence in support of smoke-free air ordinances in localities that currently allow smoking indoors.


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