Effectiveness of Smokeless Ashtrays

Abstract

Most environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) issues from the tips of smoldering cigarettes between puffs. Smokeless ashtrays are designed to reduce ETS exposure by removing particulate and/or gas-phase contaminants from this plume. This paper describes an experimental investigation of the effectiveness of four smokeless ashtrays: two commercial devices and two prototypes constructed by the authors. In the basic experimental protocol, one or more cigarettes was permitted to smolder in a room. Particulate or gas-phase pollutant concentrations were measured in the room air over time. Device effectiveness was determined by comparing pollutant concentrations with the device in use to those obtained with no control device. A lung deposition model was applied to further interpret device effectiveness for particle removal. The commercial ashtrays were found to be substantially ineffective in removing ETS particles because of the use of low-quality filter media and/or the failure to draw the smoke through the filter. A prototype ashtray using HEPA filter material achieved better than 90% particle removal efficiency. Gasphase pollutant removal was tested for only one prototype smokeless ashtray, which employed filters containing activated carbon and activated alumina. Removal efficiencies for the 18 gas-phase compounds measured (above the detection limit) were in the range of 70 to 95%.

A Randomized Trial of Air Cleaners and a Health Coach to Improve Indoor Air Quality for Inner-City Children With Asthma and Secondhand Smoke Exposure

“…Although the air filters used in this study included a charcoal filter to remove certain gaseous contaminants and a HEPA filter to remove particulate contaminants, charcoal has been suggested to be a poor nicotine absorbent. 33,34 Thus, the improvement in symptoms was most likely associated with the reduction in PM concentrations rather than with the reduction in nicotine exposure, consistent with other reports 35 suggesting that the nonnicotine particle-bound components of tobacco smoke are the major contributors to increased risk of systemic inflammatory diseases.…”

Environmental Tobacco Smoke Particles

“…3.5-3. It has also been observed anecdotally in experiments reported by Wampler et al (1995). Additional discussion of the basic physics and chemistry of cigarette combustion can be found in Proctor (1990, 2001).…”

“…Emission control to reduce ETS exposure can be achieved through the use of "smokeless ashtrays" (Wampler et al, 1995). The basic principle behind these devices is to reduce the release of ETS components into room air.…”

Development of a novel second-hand smoke reduction device

“…These air filtration devices were largely commercialized but limited number of scientific papers show their efficiency. In fact, the previous mentioned papers (Arlene et al, 2011;Coggins et al, 2008;Wampler et al, 1995) demonstrate that, the use of these air cleaners does not reduce significantly the percentage of nicotine in the air. The air cleaners reduce particulate matter (PM) more than they reduce the gas-vapor nicotine.…”

“…In order to limit SHS, several devices of air cleaners (such as Smokeless Grabber and GESPERT Ashtray…) were designed to absorb smoke from cigarettes and cigars by using charcoal filtration (Arlene et al, 2011;Coggins et al, 2008;Wampler et al, 1995). These air filtration devices were largely commercialized but limited number of scientific papers show their efficiency.…”