Charcoal burning as a source of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in waterpipe smoking

Abstract

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) content from seven commercial waterpipe charcoals were determined during the smoking process to estimate how much PAHs would not be trapped by the water trap and could reach the lungs of the smokers. Naphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, phenanthrene and fluoranthene were the most abundant PAH compounds produced during smoking. Naphthalene was the highest in all of the smoke contents and levels of 5 to 405 μg/15 minutes could be inhaled by the smoker. The amounts of PAHs produced during the smoking events in absence of tobacco varied greatly among different brands of charcoal. The amount and composition of the emitted PAH were not related to the amount and composition of the original chemicals in the charcoal prior to burning. Our findings suggest that public health agencies should regulate smoked charcoal products alongside tobacco.

Keywords:

• PAH
• smoking
• waterpipe
• shisha
• charcoal
• polyaromatic hydrocarbons.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by RCMI Grants # G12RR003045 and CO6RR012537 awarded by the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health (NIH). The G12 program is now a part of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and the C06 program is in the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs in the Office of the Director, NIH. Although this work has been funded by NIH (RCMI) it does not necessarily reflect the views of the Agencies and no official endorsement should be inferred. None of the results presented here can be considered typical of any specific manufacturer or product.