The trial of simple gas analysis of tobacco smoke that can be used for medical education

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to check a simple sampling and easy gas analysis of tobacco smoke for effective tobacco intervention in medical education. METHODS: The mainstream of tobacco smoke was sampled by a syringe (50 ml) at five, ten and twenty seconds. The extracted mainstream was moved to a commercial PET bottle (2000 ml), and measured with gas detector tubes. The sidestream, which rises from the tip of the cigarette, was collected into a commercial PET bottle for a duration of 30 or 60 seconds. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, and nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2) in the tobacco smoke were measured. Then, these gasses in the tobacco smoke of four brands of cigarettes were compared. This trial was conducted in third-year medical students, and the changes in attitudes to smokers and tobacco itself were investigated. RESULTS: The method of sampling 50 ml for 5 seconds produced the highest concentration of each gas in the mainstream. The gas concentration in the sidestream increased as the sampling time increased. The gas concentration in mainstream of "Lucia" was the highest of the used four brands, and the gas concentrations in the sidestream of "Mild Seven Prime" were higher than those of the other brands. Many medical students obtained knowledge about the toxicity of smoking by this experiment study. CONCLUSION: We studied a simple sampling method of tobacco smoke, and gas analysis with gas detector tubes. This method is recommended for tobacco education and intervention in medical education.