Tobacco smoke as a major source of endotoxin in indoor air

Mass spectrometry was used to determine the endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) marker 3-hydroxytetradecanoic acid and 3-deoxy -D-manno-2-octulosonic acid in cigarette tobacco and smoke particles. Tobacco from cigarettes of different brands purchased in four different countries in Europe and Asia contained similar amounts of LPS. Indoor exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in rooms of smoking students entailed inhalation of LPS in amounts that were 6-60 times higher than in student rooms without ongoing smoking. The fact that cigarette smoke contains large amounts of endotoxin may partly explain the high prevalence of respiratory disorders among smokers and may also draw attention to a hitherto unknown or neglected risk factor of ETS. (Less)