Differential exposure biomarker levels among cigarette smokers and smokeless tobacco consumers in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2008

Abstract

Assessment of biomarkers is an appropriate way to estimate exposure to cigarette mainstream smoke and smokeless tobacco (SLT) constituents in tobacco consumers. Using the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 1999–2008), biomarkers of volatile organic compounds, halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (HAHs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), acrylamide, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), and metals were evaluated. In general, biomarker levels in SLT consumers were significantly lower than in smokers (excluding NNK and some HAHs) and were not significantly different compared with nonconsumers (excluding NNK and some PAHs). These results provide useful information for science-based risk assessment and regulation of tobacco products.

Keywords::

• NHANES
• mainstream smoke
• snuff
• chewing tobacco

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to recognize Drs. Michael Borgerding, Geoff Curtin, and Eugenia Theophilus for their thorough review of this manuscript and their thoughtful suggestions.

Declaration of interest

All four authors are R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company employees. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Erratum

Since the first online publication of this article on 25 February 2011, the following has been corrected:

1) Page 5, line 5 under the heading “SLT consumers versus nonconsumers”:

2-hydroxyfluoranthene has been replaced with 2-hydroxyfluorene

3-hydroxyfluoranthene has been replaced with 3-hydroxyfluorene

2) Page 5, line 11 under the heading “Smokers versus SLT consumers”:

9-hydroxyfluoranthene has been replaced with 9-hydroxyfluorene

There has also been a sentence added to the Declaration of interest to read:

All four authors are R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company employees.