Nafas Journal

Abstract

Background: Smoking cafés are places where the air inside has high concentration of various pollutants. While various studies have shown that hookah and cigarette smoke contain significant volume of heavy metals. This study was designed aiming biological monitoring of the level of heavy metals in the urine samples of workers in smoking cafés and its association with their lung function and respiratory symptoms, in Tehran city. Materials and Methods: The list of cafés in Tehran was provided and based on hookah/cigarette smoking and non-smoking, they were divided into (NSC) - (CSC) - (WPC), respectively; and then 10 cafés were randomly selected from each group. Sampling was performed after explaining the study and obtaining the consent of the manager and staff. A check list of demographic data and smoking history was completed and analyzed. Results: 96 individuals were studied; there were 32 subjects were in each group, including hookah cafés (WPC), cigarette cafés (CSC) and non-smoking cafés (NSC). All subjects were male. Six days a week, they worked about 10 hours a day in café. The concentration of heavy metals in the groups of hookah and cigarettes were significantly higher and respiratory indices in these groups were significantly lower than non-smoking group. Conclusions: Exposure to second-hand smoke increases the urinary level of heavy metals and reduces the respiratory capacity of people and this can be highly pathogenic in the future. Comprehensive informing on human rights should be provided in this regard and smoking bans in public places must be properly enforced.

Key words: smoking, heavy metals, lung capacity, second-hand tobacco smoke

Implication: Incomplete implementation of the smoking bans in public places approved in 2005 in Iran, which is not executed accurately with no executive guarantee. This could be considered by lawmakers and increase on-site inspections, as the law is designed to improve public health and negligence can be detrimental.