Exploring the vulnerability to environmental tobacco product exposure: evidence from an urban California Reserve

Abstract:

The advent of conventional and new tobacco products and their extensive use, especially by adolescents, are a significant public health concern. In the past few decades, the rates of cigarette smoking have dropped in the United States. However, the persistence of tobacco smoke specific compounds in the environment remains. There is a dearth of literature that indicates the potential risk of environmental pollution caused by tobacco use and disposal. This study explores the risk of environmental exposure from tobacco product pollution in the Kendall Frost Mission Bay Reserve, a marsh ecosystem within the UC Natural Reserve System (NRS) situated in urban San Diego, California. Surface stormwater and sediment samples were collected from the Reserve in two seasons: before and during the rainy season. Non-targeted analysis using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC/TOF-MS) was conducted to assess the chemical profiles of water and sediment samples. The results showed the presence of tobacco alkaloids such as nicotine, cotinine, and anabasine in water and sediment samples. The presence of cotinine was prominent in a stormwater sample collected at the beginning of the wet season. It was not, however detected in the rainy season. The presence of cotinine may be due to metabolic degradation of nicotine. Eucalyptol, limonene, and tolpropamine were detected in the samples. Some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were also evident in all samples. Nicotine and other nicotinic alkaloids such as anabasine confirmed that the Reserve is susceptible to environmental tobacco pollution. There was a trace of triacetin, a chemical used in manufacturing tobacco products, in sediment samples. This is one of the first studies in the United States to investigate chemical markers of environmental tobacco product waste exposure. This is an ongoing study that will eventually assess the fate and transport of these chemical markers and assess the ecological risks of tobacco product waste in the environment.