Impact of Filter on the Estimation of Quantitative Mixture Risk Caused by Some Chemical Constituents Generated from Popular Cigarette Brands in Iran

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of filter on the eventual carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks caused by the main toxic constituents of popular cigarette brands in Iran.

At this laboratory study, the concentration of benzene, formaldehyde, arsenic, and cadmium in themainstream smoke of 11 popular cigarette brands in Iran, on the without and with-filter modes wasdetermined based on an established method. The hazard quotient (HQ), incremental lifetime cancer risk(ILCR), and mixture quantitative risk assessments (QRAs) were performed based on the QRA methodrecommended by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

The mean of HQ due to benzene, formaldehyde, arsenic, and cadmium in without-filter cigarettesmoke was from 3.96 to 3505. The findings indicated that the HQs related to benzene, formaldehyde, arsenic,and cadmium in cigarette smoke were decreased with filter by 48.3%, 25.3%, 37.6%, and 49.1%, respectively.The filter of cigarette decreased ILCR of benzene, formaldehyde, arsenic, and cadmium in cigarette smoke by53.02%, 25.31%, 37.70%, and 61.01%, respectively. The mixture of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenicestimated risks due to inhalation of studied cigarettes smoke was very high and unacceptable.

The cigarette filter plays an essential role in reducing inhalation exposure to hazardouscompounds in mainstream cigarette smoke; nevertheless, the average of overall mixture HQs and ILCRsestimated caused by studied compounds was higher than the acceptable value. It is recommended that futureempirical studies investigate the impact of the type of fiber used in cigarette filter on reducing carcinogenicand non-carcinogenic risks caused by cigarette smoke.