05 Chemicals In Smoke
Description
This article is from the Smokers FAQ, by jdawson@netcom.com (Joe Dawson) with numerous contributions by others.
05 Chemicals In Smoke
Chemicals surround us. Antismokers make speeches about the "4,000
chemicals" found in tobacco smoke but never mention how many of
them we ingest in similarly minute quantities in everyday life.
~~From: Huber et al., "Smoke and Mirrors", Regulation:16:3:44 (1993)~~
{speaking of chemicals mentioned in the EPA report on SHS}
Formaldehyde is designated as a potential carcinogen. A cigarette
delivers 20-90 micrograms in mainstream smoke and up to 700 micro-
grams in sidestream smoke. By comparison, space heaters and gas ranges
release 20,000 - 40,000 micrograms per hour. Formaldehyde is also
used extensively in wood finish, glue, fabric coating, insulation, etc.
In mobile homes, concentrations have been measured in excess of 5,000
micrograms per cubic meter. In 'non-sick' buildings, the typical level
is 50 micrograms per cubic meter. Concentration in ETS is THE SAME
40-50 ug/m^3. The official "safe" level is 1,500 ug/m^3.
Benzene and toluene are mentioned as potential ETS carcinogens. In
humans they are associated with leukemia. Yet leukemia has not been
linked to *active* smoking, much less to the highly diluted
concentrations found in ETS. Gasoline is the primary source of
benzene, toluene and related aromatics in the air. Also copy machines,
glue, paint and the like. Typical concentrations in indoor air is 2-20
ug/m^3. Again, the concentration in ETS is in THE SAME RANGE.
When filling your gas tank, you're exposed to concentrations 50-100
times that high. The "safe" level for benzene is 30,000 and for toluene
375,000 ug/m^3 over a thousand times that found in ETS. <snip>
One of the cardinal rules of environmental toxicology is to identify
the specific chemical(s) of concern, because biological responses are
highly specific. Everyone is exposed to potentially toxic or carcinogenic
chemicals every day. Risk is not established by exposure alone; it is
established thru a dose-response relationship.
~~From: Cantiloper@aol.com~~
Using figures from the Federal Highway Administration and the
Surgeon Generals' Reports it is possible to compare the air pollution
put out by smokers to that put out by drivers.
Driving an average car produces about 5 grams (g) of CO per mile, or
300 g/hour. 20 cigarettes produce about 1 gram. Driving for 24 hours
would produce (300g/h*24h) = 7,200 grams of CO while smoking a half
pack a day for 40 years would produce (40y*365d*.5g) = 7,300 grams.
Thus, if you smoke a half pack a day for 40 years, you'll produce
about the same amount of CO as one full day of driving. Remember
that the next time a driver accuses you of "polluting their air".
Continue to:
My Books
