SMOKING IN CLOSED SPACE AND ITS EFFECT ON CARBOXYHEMOGLOBIN SATURATION OF SMOKING AND NONSMOKING SUBJECTS

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 9  (5) , 281-283
Abstract
The effect of tobacco smoking in a closed space on blood Hb CO saturation was investigated in a group of 21 smokers and 28 nonsmokers. Each of the smoking subjects smoked 6 cigarettes, starting a new one every 15 min. At the end of the experiments the mean CO concentration in the room was about 30 ppm, which is about normal for smoky rooms. The blood Hb CO saturation increased in the smoking group from 5.3 (2.1 SD) to 9.1 (2.1 SD) %. In the nonsmoking group the increase was from 1.6 (0.6 SD) to 2.2 (0.6 SD) %. The mean increase in nonsmoking group was as much as smoking 1 cigarette. Extrapolated to an 8 h period this suggests that a nonsmoking subject would inhale tobacco smoke equivalent to about 5 cigarettes.

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