Thirdhand smoke from tobacco, e-cigarettes, cannabis, methamphetamine and cocaine: Partitioning, reactive fate, and human exposure in indoor environments

Abstract

A source of chemical exposure to humans, thirdhand smoke (THS) refers to the contamination that persists indoors following the cessation of a smoking event. The composition of thirdhand smoke depends on the type of substance from which it originates. Although past studies have investigated the effects of tobacco THS on indoor air quality and human health, few have focused on the chemical composition and health impacts of other sources and components of THS. Here we review the state of knowledge of the composition and partitioning behavior of various types of indoor THS, with a focus on THS from tobacco, e-cigarettes, cannabis, and illicit substances (methamphetamine and cocaine). The discussion is supplemented by estimates of human exposure to THS components made with a chemical fate and exposure model. The modeling results show that while very volatile THS compounds (i.e., aromatics) are likely to be taken up by inhalation, highly water-soluble compounds tended to be dermally absorbed. Conversely, minimally volatile THS compounds with low solubility are predicted to be ingested through hand-to-mouth and object-to-mouth contact.

Keywords: Cannabis; Cocaine; E-cigarette; Methamphetamine; Thirdhand smoke; Tobacco.