The Alliance of Boulder County
on Tobacco and Health
Chemicals in Tobacco Smoke
Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including
250 materials known to be toxic and/or carcinogenic to the human body. It is
an open question whether all of those 4,000+ chemicals have even been tested
for human toxicity. Here is a list of some of the more serious ones, along
with maximum exposure limits from ACGIH, NIOSH, and Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA). For comparison, the human odor threshold is
listed if possible.
- Acetone: an irritant, a poisonous industrial solvent
- ACGIH:
- 750 ppm over short term is maximum exposure limit
- NIOSH:
- 250 ppm over 10 hours is maximum exposure limit
- OSHA:
- 1000 ppm over 8 hours is maximum exposure limit
- Odor threshold:
- Ammonia: a corrosive gas
- ACGIH:
- 35 ppm short term is maximum exposure limit
- NIOSH:
- 25 ppm over 10 hours is maximum exposure limit
- OSHA:
- 50 ppm over 8 hours is maximum exposure limit
- Odor threshold:
- Arsenic: a carcinogen; ther is no safe level of exposure
- ACGIH:
- 0.01mg/cubic meter over 8 hours is maximum exposure limit
- NIOSH:
- 0.002 mg/cubic meter over 15 minutes is maximum exposure limit
- OSHA:
- 0.010 mg/cubic meter over 8 hours is maximum exposure limit
- Benzene: human carcinogen, led to the global recall of Perrier
- ACGIH:
- 0.5 ppm over 8 hours is maximum exposure limit
- NIOSH:
- 0.1 ppm over 10 hours is maximum exposure limit
- OSHA:
- 5 ppm over 5 minutes is maximum exposure limit
- Odor threshold:
- Butane: a flammable chemical in lighter fluid.
- Cadmium: a carcinogen and a teratogen; used in batteries.
- OSHA:
- 0.005 mg/cubic meter is maximum exposure limit
- Carbon Monoxide: a poisonous gas in auto exhaust.
- Cyanide: a very poisinous chemical
- EPA:
- 110 ppm exposure causes death in 30 - 60 minutes
- Dioxin: one of the most toxic chemicals known, no safe level of exposure
- ACGIH:
- 25 ppm over 8 hours is maximum exposure limit
- NIOSH:
- 1.0 ppm over 30 minutes is maximum exposure limit
- OSHA:
- 100 ppm over 8 hours is maximum exposure limit
- Odor threshold:
- Formaldehyde: a carcinogen; there is no safe level of exposure
- ACGIH:
- 0.3 ppm is maximum exposure limit
- NIOSH:
- 0.016 ppm over 10 hours maximum exposure limit
- OSHA:
- 0.75 ppm over 8 hours maximum exposure limit
- Methanol: jet engine and rocket fuel.
- Polonium-210: a highly radioactive element.
- Toluene: a teratogen, a poisonous industrial solvent.
- ACGIH:
- 50 ppm over 8 hours is maximum exposure limit
- NIOSH:
- 100 ppm over 10 hours is maximum exposure limit
- OSHA:
- 200 ppm over 8 hours is maximum exposure limit
- Odor threshold:
And note that toboacco smoking, smokeless tobacco and
environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are now recognized as carcinogens.
References for further study -