An evaluation of the indoor air quality in bars before and after a smoking ban in Austin, Texas

Journal Article

Print(0)

Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology

J.Expo.Sci.Environ.Epidemiol.

May

260

268

LR: 20131121; JID: 101262796; 0 (Air Pollutants); 0 (Particulate Matter); 0 (Tobacco Smoke Pollution); 142M471B3J (Carbon Dioxide); 7U1EE4V452 (Carbon Monoxide); 2006/06/28 [aheadofprint]; ppublish

United States

1559-0631; 1559-0631

PMID: 16804559

eng

Evaluation Studies; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; IM

7500513 [pii]

Unknown(0)

16804559

This study assessed differences in the indoor air quality and occupancy levels in seventeen bars due to a city-wide smoking ban that took effect on September 1, 2005 in Austin, Texas, USA. We measured the following in each venue before and after the smoking ban: mean number of occupants, mean number of lit cigarettes, temperature, relative humidity, room volume, and PM(2.5), CO, and CO(2) concentrations. Additionally, VOC measurements were conducted at three of the venues. There was not a statistically significant change in occupancy, but the best estimate PM(2.5) concentrations in the venues decreased 71-99%, a significant reduction in all venues, relative to the pre-ban levels; CO concentrations decreased significantly in all but one venue; and concentrations of VOCs known to be emitted from cigarettes decreased to below the detection limit for all but two common compounds. These results suggest that the smoking ban has effectively improved indoor air quality in Austin bars without an associated decrease in occupancy.

Air Pollutants/analysis, Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis/legislation & jurisprudence/prevention & control, Carbon Dioxide/analysis, Carbon Monoxide/analysis, Environmental Exposure/analysis/prevention & control, Environmental Monitoring, Humans, Particulate Matter/analysis, Program Evaluation, Restaurants/legislation & jurisprudence, Smoking/legislation & jurisprudence/prevention & control, Texas, Tobacco Smoke Pollution/analysis/legislation & jurisprudence/prevention & control

Waring,M. S., Siegel,J. A.

Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.

20060628

http://vp9py7xf3h.search.serialssolutions.com/?charset=utf-8&pmid=16804559

2007