Abstract |
The authors have measured human exposure to mutagens, using indoor medium-volume samplers and personal samplers, in targeted field studies of homes in the U.S. The combustion sources included in these studies were woodstoves, fireplaces, gas appliances, cooking, and tobacco smoking. These studies demonstrate that the presence of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) consistently results in human exposure to mutagens which are significantly higher than outdoor air or non-smoking indoor spaces. The mutagenic emission rates from the other indoor combustion sources (e.g., kerosene heaters) as determined in chamber studies are more variable than ETS and are dependent on the combustion source design and operation. Woodstoves and fireplaces result in higher concentrations of mutagens outdoors, which may indirectly influence the concentration of mutagens indoors. |