Tobacco smoke particulate matter (PM) is a complex mixture of condensed organic compounds, with about 5 to 10% water. Its general properties are similar in some respects to that of atmospheric organic aerosol PM and thus provides a useful surrogate when studying atmospheric PM. Due to its ability to undergo acid-base chemistry, nicotine is of particular interest in the tobacco smoke system. The gas/particle partitioning of nicotine depends on the protonation state of nicotine in the particles, so the distribution of nicotine between these phases provides a means of understanding the acid-base balance in the tobacco smoke system. The goal of this work is to develop an acid-base balance for mainstream tobacco smoke that accounts for the extent of protonation of nicotine. Samples of extracted smoke particulate matter from seven brands of cigarettes were analyzed by ion chromatography (IC) and titration by both acid (HCl) and base (lithium phenoxide) for comparison with nicotine data collected by colleagues. IC analysis was used to quantify tracers of known acidic and basic species in tobacco smoke. Anion tracers for acids included: glycolate, acetate, formate, lactate, chloride, nitrite, sulfate, and nitrate. The cation tracers for base were ammonium, sodium, and potassium. The tobacco smoke extracts were also analyzed after acidification by the HCl titrant for changes in ammonia and organic acid concentrations to determine whether "bound" forms of these compounds were present in the PM. The titration data provided total concentrations of weak acid and bases in the samples. This titration data was compared with the concentrations of the tracers for weak acids and bases (along with the quantification of total nicotine by colleagues) to determine whether the IC analyses were accounting for all of the important species. The results of this comparison show that these analyses missed relevant species in the tobacco smoke system. As tobacco smoke PM is a complex organic mixture, the ability of acid species to protonate nicotine will be different than in aqueous media. The acidic species of interest were assumed to be either strong or weak, with the strong species assumed to be fully ionized after protonation of nicotine. Some portion of the weak acid species could then protonate any available nicotine. An electroneutrality equation (ENE) was developed for the tobacco smoke PM and populated using the IC data and the nicotine data obtained by colleagues. Using this ENE, the extent ionization of the weak acids species (α1A) and the net reaction constant for the protonation of nicotine by these weak acids (K*) was estimated. However, interpretation of the results were complicated by the underrepresentation of the pertinent weak acid species in our IC analyses. This study concluded that further work is needed to identify the missing weak acid and base species to obtain a better representation of the acid-base balance in tobacco smoke PM and to understand the ability of these weak acid species to protonate nicotine.

acase@tulane.edu

<p>This thesis concerns the fate of the meteoric smoke in the Middle Atmosphere, and its effect on ice phenomena such as noctilucent clouds (NLC) and polar stratospheric clouds (PSC). </p><p>The potential role of NLC as tracer for mesospheric processes and variability, and as a tool for monitoring this remote and inaccessible region, has generated substantial interest within the scientific community. The nucleation of ice in such a dry environment is not trivial. Supersaturation is considered too low for homogeneous nucleation. Hence, pre-existing condensation nuclei are deemed necessary, with smoke particles having long been considered the most likely candidate. Here we show that the atmospheric circulation transports meteoric smoke particles away from the polar region before they coagulate large enough to efficiently act as ice condensation nuclei. We also show that the charging of meteoric smoke, in combination with deviations from the mean thermal state, may solve this dilemma by significantly altering the ice nucleation properties of smoke. Thus, while it is highly questionable whether neutral smoke can provide sufficient amounts of condensation nuclei for ice formation at the polar summer mesopause, charged meteoric smoke proves to be a promising candidate to explain mesospheric ice phenomena as we observe them.</p><p> We further show that the bulk of the meteoric material is transported to the Arctic winter stratosphere, yielding significantly higher concentrations of meteoric smoke in the region of PSC nucleation than has previously been believed. Our new predictions of meteoric smoke in this region may thus shed new light on open questions relating to PSC nucleation.</p>

<p>One of the main problem areas within computer graphics is simulating natural phenomena’s, working with fluid solvers, and particle systems. In the special effects industry, there is a demand for mimicking appearance of common special effect such as fire, smoke, and water. Autodesk Maya and FumeFx are used for exploring those methods in creating smoke and fire simulations and implementing those into a</p><p>large dynamic system, while researching the possibility to efficiently control and modify an entire dynamic system on a per object level. Final production renders results are from both Maya and FumeFx.</p>

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental and occupational carcinogens that are produced by the incomplete combustion of organic material, such as from the burning of tobacco, coal, and petroleum products. In addition to causing cancer, exposure to PAHs is hypothesized to contribute to atherosclerosis and to lead to increased incidence rates of cardiovascular disease in populations. Considering the number of deaths attributable to tobacco smoke exposure, ambient air pollution, and occupational hazards, PAHs may be a significant contributor to the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in human populations. However, a clear exposure-response relationship between PAHs and measures of cardiovascular disease has not been demonstrated. While PAH exposure has been shown to be associated with indicators of cardiovascular disease in research animals, this relationship has not been studied comprehensively in human populations. Using data from the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) 1999 - 2004 of a representative sample of the entire US civilian population, this study investigated predictors of total body burden of PAHs and associations between urinary metabolites of PAHs and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in 4,492 study participants aged 20 years and older. Using various analytic approaches, this research project identified tobacco smoke exposure as a significant predictor of urinary levels of low molecular weight PAHs but not as a predictor of urinary levels of high molecular weight PAHs in a large population of individuals without known occupational exposure to PAHs. Worker occupational category was not associated with urinary levels of any PAH metabolites. The results of this study also indicate a possible association between exposure to PAHs and the development of cardiovascular disease in humans. Levels of multiple metabolites of specific PAHs, naphthalene, fluorene, and phenanthrene were significantly associated with increases in total cholesterol, triglycerides, WBC count, and C-reactive protein levels. Additionally, this study examined the utility of factor analysis for data reduction of 23 urinary PAH metabolites to two latent factors representing low and high molecular weight PAHs to streamline investigations of the associations of PAH exposures with various health outcomes. Results of this study suggest mechanisms by which PAH exposure contributes to the burden of cardiovascular disease on human populations and the methods by which human body burden on PAHs can be measured.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 88-93).

Adverse health effects in children caused by environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are well known. Children are primarily exposed by their parents’ smoking in their homes. A comprehensive evidence base shows that parental smoking during pregnancy and ETS exposure in early childhood are associated with an increased risk for a range of adverse health problems. Child Health Care nurses, who meet nearly all families in Sweden with children aged 0-6 years, have thus an important role in tobacco preventive work in order to support parents in their ambitions to protect their children from ETS exposure. The overall aim of this thesis was to develop, test and evaluate a new model for tobacco preventive work in Child Health Care (CHC) with special focus on areas with a high prevalence of parental smoking. In a first step CHC nurses’ and parents’ views on tobacco preventive work were analysed in two studies based on questionnaires. The intervention was performed during the second step, based on the results from nurses’ and parents’ experience of the tobacco preventive work in CHC, and with methods from Quality Improvement. An “intervention bundle” was developed which included evidence based methods for prevention of ETS exposure, and four learning sessions for the nurses. The instrument “Smoking in Children’s Environment Test” (SiCET) included in the bundle was evaluated with focus group interviews with the CHC nurses who participated in the intervention. Two urine samples were analysed to measure cotinine levels in children which provide an estimate for ETS exposure. Parents’ answers from the SiCET questionnaire, measurements of cotinine, and data from the nurses’ log-books were used in the evaluation of the effects of the intervention. In areas with a high prevalence of parental smoking 22 nurses recruited 86 families of whom 72 took part for the entire one-year period of the intervention. The results showed that parents wanted to have information on the harmful effects tobacco smoke have on their children and how they can protect their children from ETS exposure. The nurses saw tobacco preventive work as important but they experienced difficulties to reach certain groups such as fathers, foreign-born parents, and those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. The SiCET instrument provided a basis for dialogue with parents. The main results from the intervention showed that ten parents (11%) quit smoking, thirty-two families (44%) decreased their cigarette consumption in the home, and fewer children were exposed to tobacco smoke. Consequently, more children showed levels of urinary cotinine less than 6 ng/ml (base-line n=43, follow up n=54; p=0.05). The total number of outdoor smokers did not change. Seven of the nurses (30%) had successful results in their areas with a decrease of smokers in families with a child of 8 months, from 20% in 2009 to 12% in 2011. The corresponding figures for the whole county as well as the country did not decrease during the same period. The sustainability of the intervention has to be followed and thus measures should be followed prospectively over time. The SiCET instrument was found useful and might be applicable in other arenas where children’s ETS exposure is discussed. The development of an instant cotinine test using dipsticks would make it possible to give parents immediate feedback on the effectiveness of taken protective actions. This could work as a pedagogic resource in the dialogue with parents.

This thesis concerns the fate of the meteoric smoke in the Middle Atmosphere, and its effect on ice phenomena such as noctilucent clouds (NLC) and polar stratospheric clouds (PSC). The potential role of NLC as tracer for mesospheric processes and variability, and as a tool for monitoring this remote and inaccessible region, has generated substantial interest within the scientific community. The nucleation of ice in such a dry environment is not trivial. Supersaturation is considered too low for homogeneous nucleation. Hence, pre-existing condensation nuclei are deemed necessary, with smoke particles having long been considered the most likely candidate. Here we show that the atmospheric circulation transports meteoric smoke particles away from the polar region before they coagulate large enough to efficiently act as ice condensation nuclei. We also show that the charging of meteoric smoke, in combination with deviations from the mean thermal state, may solve this dilemma by significantly altering the ice nucleation properties of smoke. Thus, while it is highly questionable whether neutral smoke can provide sufficient amounts of condensation nuclei for ice formation at the polar summer mesopause, charged meteoric smoke proves to be a promising candidate to explain mesospheric ice phenomena as we observe them. We further show that the bulk of the meteoric material is transported to the Arctic winter stratosphere, yielding significantly higher concentrations of meteoric smoke in the region of PSC nucleation than has previously been believed. Our new predictions of meteoric smoke in this region may thus shed new light on open questions relating to PSC nucleation.

The Earth's mesosphere and lower thermosphere in the altitude range 50-130 km is a fascinating part of our atmosphere. Complex interactions between radiative, dynamical, microphysical and chemical processes give rise to several prominent phenomena, many of those centred around the mesopause region (80-100 km). These phenomena include noctilucent clouds, polar mesosphere summer echoes, the ablation and transformation of meteoric material, and the Earth’s airglow. Strong stratification and small scale interactions are common features of both these phenomena and the mesopause region in general. In order to study interactions on the relevant spatial scales, in situ measurements from sounding rockets are essential for mesospheric research. This thesis presents new measurement techniques and analysis methods for sounding rockets, thus helping to improve our understanding of this remote part of the atmosphere. Considering the need to perform measurements at typical rocket speeds of 1 km/s, particular challenges arise both from the design of selective, sensitive, well-calibrated instruments and from perturbations due to aerodynamic influences. This thesis includes a quantitative aerodynamic analysis of impact and sampling techniques for meteoric particles, revealing a distinct size discrimination due to the particle flow. Optical techniques are investigated for mesospheric ice particle populations, resulting in instrument concepts for accessing smaller particles based on Mie scattering at short ultraviolet wavelengths. Rocket-borne resonance fluorescence measurements of atomic oxygen are critically re-assessed, leading to new calibration concepts based on photometry of O2 airglow emissions. The work presented here also provides important pre-studies for the upcoming PHOCUS rocket campaign from Esrange in July 2010. PHOCUS will address the interaction between three major mesospheric players: meteoric smoke, noctilucent clouds and gas-phase chemistry.

! BACKGROUND: Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) is elevating blood levels of inflammatory mediators and chemoattractants which seem to play an important role in the development of several diseases (e.g. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). First evidences showed that men and women might differ in their proneness for these diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there are effects of ETS during pregnancy on inflammatory cytokines in cord blood and in mother’s blood and if there are any differences between male and female newborns. METHODS: Within the LiNA (Lifestyle and environmental factors and their influence on Newborn Allergy Risk) study, whole blood samples of 460 mother-child pairs were analyzed for the concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-4, IL-5, INF-gamma, TNF-alpha and MCP-1 using cytrometic bead asseys. The association between ETS exposure and cytokines was calculated using the Mann-Whitney-U-test and adjusted with a multiple regression model for parental atopy, parental education status and cat ownership. The exposure assessment is based on questionnaire data on smoking behaviour of the parents and measurement of indoor benzene concentration. RESULTS: Female newborn, being exposed in utero to 10 cigarettes a day or more, had significantly higher blood concentrations of IL-8, IL-6 and MCP-1 whereas there have been no elevations in male newborn being exposed to the same amount of cigarettes. Furthermore a significantly decreased amount of INF-gamma was found in cord blood of male newborns but not in female newborns. General increasing levels of TNF-alpha in cord blood where found for daily smoke exposure without relating it to the exact number of cigarettes. CONCLUSION: The data of this study refer to gender-specific differences in the susceptibility to ETS exposure. The induction of inflammatory signals in cord blood in response to cigarette smoke exposure is stronger in female than in male newborn. / Die vorliegende Arbeit ist Teil einer umweltepidemiologischen Kohortenstudie (LiNA), in der der Einfluss von Umwelt- und Lebensbedingungen auf die Entwicklung von Immunsystem und Allergien bei Neugeborenen unter Einbezug der vorgeburtlichen Zeit untersucht wird. In welchem Maße sich eine Rauchbelastung während der Schwangerschaft auf die Zytokinmuster der Neugeborenen im Nabelschnurblut auswirkt und inwiefern dies mit dem Zytokinmuster der Mutter korreliert, sollte das Ziel dieser Dissertation sein. Dafür wurden Daten von insgesamt 629 Mutter-Kind-Paaren erhoben, Zytokin- und Chemokinbestimmungen, sowie die des Gesamt-IgE aus den Blutproben der 34. SSW und denen der Nabelschnur vorgenommen. Interessanterweise konnten geschlechterspezifische Unterschiede im Zytokinspektrum der Neugeborenen gefunden werden. Bei den weiblichen Neugeborenen zeigte sich eine deutliche Erhöhung proinflammatorischer Marker, wenn deren Mütter dem Rauch von mehr als 10 Zigaretten pro Tag ausgesetzt waren. Dieser Anstieg war weder im Blut der männlichen Neugeborenen noch im Blut der Schwangeren in der 34. SSW zu beobachten. Zusätzlich konnte beobachtet werden, dass auch einzig die männlichen Neugeborenen stark negativ mit ihrer IFN-gamma-Produktion auf die passive Rauchbelastung reagieren. Die mit dieser Arbeit ermittelten Daten, dass das Immunsystem beim Neugeborenen geschlechterspezifisch unterschiedlich auf Tabakrauch zu reagieren scheint, sind erstmals in der Literatur zu finden. Die Erforschung des Immunsystems und dessen Beteiligung an zahlreichen Erkrankungen, besonders den chronisch Inflammatorischen, ist durchaus relevant im medizinischen Alltag. Diese Arbeit trägt einen weiteren Baustein dazu bei und gibt Anstoß für weitere Studien.