Analytical study demonstrates rapid detection of third-hand smoke nicotine on indoor surfaces, suggesting a cost-effective method for air quality monitoring and forensics.
Key Points
To develop an integrated, cost-effective method combining passive paper-based air sampling with paper spray ionization mass spectrometry to monitor indoor third-hand smoke pollution.
Constructed a custom passive sampler using paper substrates to collect third-hand cigarette smoke contaminants from indoor air.
Coupled the paper sampling media directly to paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (PSI-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) without separate chemical extraction steps.
Evaluated forensic utility by applying filter paper to sample and identify nicotine residues on cigarette-smoke-exposed book pages.
PSI-MS analysis detected nicotine, the primary constituent of tobacco smoke, directly from passive paper sampling media.
MS/MS fragmentation confirmed the chemical identity of nicotine collected via the custom passive air sampler.
The paper spray approach reliably identified nicotine surface contamination transferred from smoke-exposed book pages onto filter paper.