Assessment of Nicotine Inhalation Exposure and Urinary Cotinine of Tobacco Processing Workers
Amornchai Trikunakornwong MS*, Pornpimol Kongtip PhD**, Suttinun Chantanakul MD**, Witaya Yoosook PhD**, Preecha Loosereewanich PhD**, Piangchan Rojanavipart PhD***
Affiliation : * Narcotic Analysis and Technical Service Institute, Office of the Narcotics Control Board, Ministry of Justice, Bangkok, Thailand ** Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Centre for Environmental Health, Toxicology and Management of Chemicals (ETM), Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand *** Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : To study the composition of tobacco dust, atmospheric nicotine concentration, urinary cotinine
excretion and the subjective symptoms of workers in dry tobacco leaf preparation.
Material and Method: The tobacco dust in air of the breathing zone of workers and the urine samples of these
workers and a comparison group were collected and analyzed by GC/MS. The accuracy, precision and
detection limit of the methods were determined.
Results : The tobacco dust contained nicotine and atrazine (a herbicide). The average atmospheric nicotine
was 0.105 mg/m3 and urinary cotinine concentrations of post tobacco curing process workers was 3.084
microgram/ml. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between the atmospheric nicotine dust and
urinary cotinine excretion (r = 0.987, p < 0.05). The health symptoms of headache, nausea, weakness,
dizziness, and increased perspiration reported among workers had a significant relationship with the job
characteristics of the post tobacco curing process workers, with a p-value < 0.05.
Conclusion : Nicotine dust contained a herbicide called atrazine. Nicotine concentrations were highest in the
post tobacco curing process where workers reported a lot of adverse symptoms. Urinary cotinine can be used
as a biomarker of tobacco dusts’ exposure in dry tobacco leave preparation areas.
Keywords : Nicotine, Cotinine, Tobacco dust, GC/MS
