Determination of airborne cadmium in environmental tobacco smoke by instrumental neutron activation analysis with a compton suppression system

Author(s): Larson, S., Wu, D.

Journal/Book: Anal Chem. 1993; 65: 1506-9.

Abstract: Concentrations of cadmium, a toxic trace element, were measured in the indoor air of several public places where environmental tobacco smoke was present. Particulate-phase cadmium concentrations were determined by analyzing air filter samples using epithermal instrumental neutron activation analysis in conjunction with a Compton suppression gamma-ray detection system, in which the detection limit for cadmium was reduced to a few nanograms per filter. A cascade impactor and a personal filter sampler were used to collect the indoor suspended particulate matter for size-fractionated mass as well as total mass, respectively. Results show that where environmental tobacco smoke is present, cadmium concentrations are significantly higher than background and that about 80% of the cadmium found in indoor airborne particulate matter is associated with particles with aerodynamic diameters less than 1.8 microns. In one instance, airborne cadmium concentrations in a music club were found to be 38 ng/m, which is at least 30 times higher than background.

Keyword(s): Air Pollutants, Environmental/analysis. Cadmium/analysis. Neutron Activation Analysis. Support, Non-U.S. Gov't. Tobacco Smoke Pollution/analysis

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