Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate cadmium concentrations among metals in ETS (Environmental Tobacco Smoke) of indoor environments and to evaluate the cadmium as a marker of ETS. The correlations of cadmium concentrations and nicotine, 3-EP, RSP, SD (Smoking Density), and SI (Smoking Index). Air samples of metals, nicotine, 3-EP, and RSP were taken in smoking room, smoking allowed office, corridor outside smoking room, and non-smoking office respectively. The SD, ACH, and SI were investigated during sampling. Airborne concentration of cadmium known as human carcinogen were qualified and quantified. The SD was 0.2 to <TEX>$2.6cig/m^2{\cdot}hr$</TEX>, and the mean value of SD in smoking rooms was <TEX>$1.2cig/m^2{\cdot}hr$</TEX> that is higher than other researches. The mean of ACH in smoking rooms was 11.1. The concentrations of cadmium showed log-normal distributions and the geometric mean concentrations of cadmium in smoking rooms, corridor outside smoking rooms, smoking allowed offices, and non-smoking offices were <TEX>$0.045{\mu}g/m^3$</TEX>, <TEX>$0.018{\mu}g/m^3$</TEX>, <TEX>$0.021{\mu}g/m^3$</TEX>, and <TEX>$0.017{\mu}g/m^3$</TEX> respectively. The concentrations of cadmium in smoking room showed significant difference according to category of indoor office environments (p<0.05) and showed compliance with occupational exposure limits. The correlation coefficients between cadmium and nicotine, 3-EP, and RSP were 0.53, 0.41, 0.43 respectively. The cadmium among metals showed the highest correlations (r