The dangers of second-hand cigarette smoke are well known, but nicotine can linger on indoor surfaces and generate 'third-hand' smoke, either through its re-emission into the air or by direct ingestion from surfaces. Researchers have found that nicotine on surfaces can produce aerosols of potentially toxic oxidation products, by reacting with certain oxidizing gases when exposed to conditions typical of those found in the home.

Yael Dubowski and her team at the Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa doped cellulose powder, paper and cotton samples with a nicotine suspension and then exposed them to ozone and nitrogen oxide gases. Aerosols were collected and analysed.

The authors found that relative humidity and the type of surface affected the number and size distribution of the aerosol particles. Aerosol formation was greatest on cellulose in dry air, whereas much fewer aerosols formed from paper.

Environ. Sci. Technol. 45, 328–333 (2011)