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Ultrafine particle emissions from waterpipes.
by Monn Ch, Kindler P, Meile A, Brändli OTobacco control.
Article Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: Ultrafine particle emissions from waterpipes and their impact on human health have not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to characterise the inhalation pattern of waterpipe smokers, and (a) construct apparatus to simulate waterpipe smoking in the laboratory, and (b) characterise mainstream emissions from waterpipes under different smoking conditions. METHODS: Real life waterpipe smoking patterns were first measured with a spirometer. The average smoking pattern was then mechanically simulated in apparatus. Total particle number concentrations were determined with a condensation particle counter (CPC) for particles between 0.02 microm and 1 microm (P-Trak UPC, Model 8525, TSI) and the particle size fraction was determined with a differential mobility analyser (DMA) for particles from 0.01 microm to 0.5 microm. This instrument was coupled with a laser particle spectrometer for particles between 0.35 microm and 10 microm (Wide Range Particle Spectrometer, Model 1000XP, MSC Corp). Carbon monoxide levels were determined with an electrochemical sensor (Q-Trak monitor, Model 8554, TSI). RESULTS: The tidal volume of an average waterpipe breath of 5 seconds was found to be 1 (SD 0.47) litre. The intervals between breaths on average were 25.5 (SD 10.2) seconds. Particle number concentrations of ultrafine particles in mainstream smoke during waterpipe smoking ranged up to 70 x 10(9) particles per litre. The median diameter of the particles in a full smoking set with charcoal, tobacco and water was 0.04 microm. Smoke from the heated tobacco contributed to particles in the size range between 0.01 microm and 0.2 microm. The glowing piece of charcoal only contributed to particles smaller than 0.05 microm. CONCLUSIONS: Waterpipe smoking emits large amounts of ultrafine particles. With regard to particle emissions, smoking waterpipes may carry similar health risks to smoking cigarettes.
How the Use of Smoking Machines in Hookah Studies Leads to Scientific Neo-Orientalism
By: Kamal Chaouachi - Tue 12/04/2007 AMIn fact, for a given product and a same configuration, all hookah (narghile, shisha) users of the world smoke the same way. There is absolutely no evidence in the literature that Middle Easterners’ and Europeans’ lungs react differently to hookah smoke stimuli. This is a case of scientific neo-orientalism [2]. Consequently, the authors have presented not less than a mere artefact generated by the use of the smoking machines themselves. They eventually believed that their smoking machines were an image of real human hookah smoking… The fact that data collection through smoking topographies in Lebanon and Switzerland gave so striking differences means that the methodology is wrong. Yet, for many years now, researchers in this field have been warned against the use of such artificial means (including by a WHO panel of experts) which have already generated a great world confusion [3].
Dr Kamal T. Chaouachi, Researcher and Consultant in Tobacco Control (Paris) http://PublicationsList.org/kamal.chaouachi
_________ References:
[1] Monn C, Kindler P, Meile A, Brandli O. Ultrafine particle emissions from waterpipes. Tob Control 2007;16: 390-3. http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/cgi/content/abs...
[2] Chaouachi K. Culture matérielle et orientalisme. L’exemple d’une recherche socio-anthropologique sur le narguilé [Engl.: Material Culture and Orientalism. The Example of a Socio-Anthropological Research on Narghile] Arabica [Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden] 2006;53(2):177-209. http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/brill/a... [3] Chaouachi K. A Critique of the WHO’s TobReg “Advisory Note†entitled: “Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking: Health Effects, Research Needs and Recommended Actions by Regulatorsâ€. Journal of Negative Results in Biomedicine 2006; 5:17. http://www.jnrbm.com/content/5/1/17