No Butts on the Beach: Aquatic Toxicity of Cigarette Butt Leachate Chemicals

Assessment of nicotine and degradation products in cigarette butts leachates after detoxification by white rot fungi

Cigarette butts (CBs) are widespread hazardous waste contaminating the environment due to the recalcitrance of the filter and the toxicity of the contaminants leached. This paper evaluated through analysis of contaminants and toxicity bioassays on Raphanus sativus seeds, the ability of four fungal strains of white rot fungi to treat cigarette butts, including 2 native strains of Trametes sp. (strains BAFC 4765 and BAFC 4767), one of Irpex lacteus (strain BAFC 4766) and one commercial strain of Pleurotus ostreatus (strain BAFC 2034). Each strain was grown in a medium of water-soaked CBs in axenic conditions at Erlenmeyer-scale during six weeks, analyzing leachate samples periodically by HPLC-MSn. Temporal evolution of nicotine as well as the transformations of tobacco alkaloids and other contaminants generated by the different fungal treatments were characterized. Nicotine was degraded significantly by the end of the treatments although variations were found among the fungal strains, proposing a degradation mechanism based on the 12 tobacco alkaloid transformation products identified. Leachates from CBs showed a total inhibition of germination on Raphanus sativus seeds whereas those obtained after 6 weeks of treatment displayed a significant decrease of phytotoxicity (7-20 % inhibition of germination) exhibiting sublethal effects. The results obtained in this work support the development of CBs fungal treatment for waste detoxification on a larger scale.

The impacts of smoked cigarette butt leachate on a common freshwater gastropod, Lymnaea stagnalis

Cigarette butts (CBs) are one of the most littered items worldwide. As litter they present physical (plastic fibres and burnt tobacco) and chemical (compounds retained on the filter and in the tobacco) contamination with detrimental effects on the receiving ecosystem. There is however a dearth of research on their effects and on the ability of organisms to recover from exposure. Here, the effects of CBs on mortality, growth, feeding, egg production and hatching success of the great pond snail (Lymnaea stagnalis), were investigated, but also their recovery post-exposure. Individuals were exposed to CB leachate at either 0 (control), 0.25, 0.5 or 1 CB L-1 for four weeks and subsequently they were allowed to recover for a further three weeks without contamination. The presence of CB leachate increased mortality and decreased egg production, egg viability, and growth of snails. Feeding rate was not affected by the presence of CB during exposure phase. All variables showed evidence of recovery once not exposed to the contaminant. Mortality decreased, growth in shell length and biomass increased whilst egg production and viability increased to the same level as controls. This study found that even environmentally realistic concentrations of CB leachate (0.25 CB L-1) can cause mortality and decreased reproductive success of aquatic snails. The improvement of these responses after removal of the leachate indicates that preventing or removing CBs could restore affected ecosystems.

Screening for Endocrine Bioactivity Potential of Tobacco Product Chemicals Including Flavor Chemicals

Adolescence and pregnancy involve elevated levels of hormones (e.g., estrogen, androgen) during which exposure to endocrine disruptors could have long-term developmental and reproductive toxicity (DART) effects. Therefore, the use prevalence and abuse liability of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) among adolescents and youth, and during pregnancy, raises concerns about possible exposure to endocrine disruptors. In addition, endocrine disruptors have adverse effects on wildlife and environmental health. While many studies focus on carcinogenicity and mutagenicity of tobacco products, research efforts screening chemicals in tobacco products for endocrine disruption potential are few. In this study, we curated 5179 chemicals in tobacco and tobacco smoke, 2803 flavor chemicals, and 156 e-liquid chemicals from literature or openly available databases. We screened the chemicals for endocrine bioactivity using new approach methodologies (NAMs) developed through US Environmental Protection Agency's Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program. The specific NAMs, estrogenic and androgenic pathway models, identified 137 tobacco chemicals, 34 flavor chemicals, and three e-liquid chemicals (Veratraldehyde, (2E)-3-Phenylprop-2-enal, and 2'-Acetonaphthone) as "active," indicating potential endocrine bioactivity. Further, among the tobacco chemicals with endocrine bioactivity potential, 48 were environmentally persistent, 29 bioaccumulative, and 19 both persistent and bioaccumulative. Our findings document many chemicals in tobacco products with potential endocrine bioactivity, which raises concerns for both human and environmental health. These results also underscore the importance of DART potential of tobacco products and flavors. Overall, our study characterizes the endocrine bioactivity potential of tobacco and flavor chemicals and provides a list of chemicals to consider in future ecological and health risk assessments.

Assessing cigarette butt pollution on recreational beaches: A comparative study of two sampling methods and their impact on metal release

Discarded cigarette butts (CBs) are a significant source of environmental pollution. In areas with large amounts of cigarette waste, environmental hazards may arise due to the leaching of chemicals from filters and smoked tobacco. Accurately estimating the number of CBs on beaches requires a standardized method. Additionally, estimating the release of metals from these pollutants can provide important insights into beach pollution. This study compares two sampling methods to estimate CB waste on recreational beaches and evaluate the potential release of metals. In this combined experimental and meta-analysis study, circular methods with diameters of 5, 10, and 15 m were compared to a Flood Accumulation Zone (FAZ) method (1 m by 10 m, parallel to the waterline). Systematic study methods and meta-analysis were applied to estimate the release of metals along the Caspian Sea beaches. The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed significant differences in the averages of at least one sampling method (P < 0.006). Follow-up Mann-Whitney U tests showed no significant differences among the circular methods, but all circular methods significantly differed from the FAZ method (P < 0.05). The difference between the circular methods was smaller than the difference with the FAZ method. The minimum and maximum metal concentrations, in micrograms per square meter of Caspian Sea beaches, were associated with mercury and manganese. Circular methods with different diameters did not significantly differ and are effective in reducing CB accumulation due to coastal waves and wind. These methods can be considered standard for estimating CBs on beaches. Cigarette waste acts as a point source of metal pollution, with rapid leaching of metals increasing the risk of acute harm to coastal and marine organisms.

The role of different remaining parts of cigarette butts in the transfer of phenolic compounds into the aquatic environment and their ecological risk

Cigarette butts (CBs), the most prevalent waste material globally, have the potential to leach various toxic substances, including phenolic compounds (PhCs), into the environment and aquatic ecosystems. Nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge concerning the long-term release of PhCs via the different parts of CBs which are littered into the environment. Hence, the present study was designed to investigate the ecological risk as well as the leachate concentrations of PhCs, including phenol, o-cresol, 2,4-dimethylphenol, pentachlorophenol and 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol via different parts of CBs littered into water at several exposure times. Aged CBs collected from the environment, freshly smoked CBs, filter and paper, and remaining tobacco plus ash of freshly smoked CBs were studied to determine the leachate levels of PhCs. Pentachlorophenol and 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol were not detected and quantified in the leachates of all CB types at all exposure times. The combination of filter and paper from freshly smoked CBs exhibited the highest mass-based leachate levels of phenol, o-cresol, and 2,4-dimethylphenol, whereas aged CBs showed the lowest levels. The mean leachate of phenol, o-cresol, and 2,4-dimethylphenol from all four examined CB types were in the ranges of 0.43-639.56, 0.77-58.61, and 0.25-16.58 μg L-1 per CB, respectively. The ecological risk assessment showed that PhC leachates via all CB types had high risks for algae, Daphnia magna, and fish. The present study elucidated the release behavior of several PhCs and toxic CB-associated contaminants that have been overlooked in the literature.

Cigarette butts enable toxigenic cyanobacteria growth by inhibiting their lethal fungal infections

Cigarette butts (CBs), of which around 4.5 trillion are discarded annually, are one of the most common types of litter worldwide. CBs contain various chemicals, including metals, nicotine, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which can leach into water and pose a threat to aquatic organisms such as cyanobacteria and chytrid fungi. Chytrids, zoosporic fungi that parasitize cyanobacteria lethally, play a crucial role in regulating cyanobacteria blooms by delaying or suppressing bloom formation. Despite the prevalence of CBs in the environment, the impact of their leachates on cyanobacteria-chytrid interactions is not well understood. We assessed the effects of CB leachate on the interaction between the toxigenic cyanobacterium Planktothrix agardhii and its chytrid parasite Rhizophydium megarrhizum. CB leachate inhibited cyanobacterial growth in uninfected cultures. Infection prevalence decreased at 0.2, 2, and 10 CB L-1, with the two highest concentrations completely suppressing infection. Interestingly, at the highest CB concentration, cyanobacterial biomass in infected cultures was comparable to that of uninfected cultures not exposed to CB leachate, suggesting that the presence of chytrids mitigates the impact of the leachate. This study demonstrates that CB leachates are a potential environmental hazard that can enable cyanobacterial growth by inhibiting chytrid infections during epidemics. In addition, our research highlights the importance of assessing the effects of chemical mixtures, such as those leached from CBs, on multi-species interactions, such as host-parasite dynamics. These assessments are crucial to better understand the impact of pollutants on aquatic ecosystems.

Environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and hazards of chemicals in e-cigarette e-liquids: short-listing chemicals for risk assessments

BACKGROUND/METHODS

Increased use and sales of e-cigarettes raises concerns about the potential environmental impacts throughout their life-cycle. However, few available research studies focus on the environmental impacts and ecotoxicity of e-cigarettes. In this study, we short-list e-liquid chemicals from published literature that should be considered in future environmental impact and risk assessments. We used a combination of available laboratory bioassays-based data and predictive methods (eg, Structure-Activity Relationships) to characterise the hazards of the e-liquid chemicals (environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and aquatic toxicity including hazardous concentration values (concentration affecting specific proportion of species)) for short-listing.

RESULTS

Of the 421 unique e-liquid chemicals compiled from literature, 35 are US Environmental Protection Agency's hazardous constituents, 42 are US Food and Drug Administration's harmful or potentially harmful constituents in tobacco products and smoke, and 20 are listed as both. Per hazard characteristics, we short-listed 81 chemicals that should be considered for future environmental impact and risk assessments, including tobacco-specific compounds (eg, nicotine, N'-nitrosonornicotine), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (eg, chrysene), flavours (eg, (-)caryophyllene oxide), metals (eg, lead), phthalates (eg, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate) and flame retardants (eg, tris(4-methylphenyl)phosphate).

IMPLICATIONS

Our findings documenting various hazardous chemicals in the e-liquids underscore the importance of awareness and education when handling or disposing of e-liquids/e-cigarettes and aim to inform strategies to prevent and reduce hazards from e-cigarettes. This includes any scenario where e-liquids can come into contact with people or the environment during e-liquid storage, manufacturing, use, and disposal practices. Overall, our study characterises the environmental hazards of e-liquid chemicals and provides regulators and researchers a readily available list for future ecological and health risk assessments.

Place-based estimates of cigarette butt litter raise environmental justice concerns in the United States

Littering of cigarette butts is a major environmental challenge. In 2022, ~124 billion cigarette butts were littered in the United States. This litter may pose an environmental justice concern by disproportionately affecting human and environmental health in communities of color or communities of low socioeconomic status. However, the lack of data on the distribution and magnitude of cigarette butt littering prevents an environmental justice analysis and limits the ability to tackle this environmental challenge. We conducted an environmental justice assessment of tobacco product waste, specifically cigarette butts, through spatially-explicit, place-based estimates across the contiguous U.S. We built a bottom-up model by synthesizing census tract-level population and smoking prevalence, state-level cigarette consumption, and published littering data to assess the spatial pattern of cigarette consumption and littering, and its implications for environmental injustice in >71,600 U.S. census tracts. Further, we compared the model output to urbanicity (rural-urban commuting area) and Social-Environmental Risk (SER; CDC Environmental Justice Index). Cigarette butt density was not uniformly distributed across the U.S. and ranged from 0-45.5 butts/m2, with an area-weighted average of 0.019 ± 0.0005 butts/m2. Cigarette butt density was 96 times higher in metropolitan vs. rural areas. Cigarette butt density increased significantly with SER, with 5.6 times more littered cigarette butts, and a steeper response to population density, in census tracts with the highest SER vs. the lowest SER. These results demonstrate the relative influences of location, smoking prevalence, and population density, and show that cigarette butt littering is a potential environmental justice concern in the U.S. This study provides information that may help devise targeted strategies to reduce cigarette butt pollution and prevent disproportionate impacts. The spatial data layer with place-based cigarette consumption and butt density is a tool that can support municipal, state, and federal level policy work and future studies on associations among cigarette butt pollution and environmental health outcomes.

Cigarette butts as a source of phenolic compounds for the environment

Cigarette butts (CBs) are small residues with mixed composition. Produced in large amounts, their accumulation in the environment has become alarming. It is possible to classify more than 7000 chemical components generated either in the burning process or when distilled from the tobacco. The aim of this work was to describe the rate of release of phenolic compounds from CBs, to determine the content of these compounds in freshly smoked CBs and to monitor the release of phenols from CBs into fresh natural waters. The kinetics of release of selected phenolic compounds (hydroquinone, resorcinol, pyrocatechol, phenol, guaiacol, o-cresol, m-cresol, p-cresol) into water was monitored for 48 h. More than 90% of the content was extracted within 10 h for all analytes. The phenolic content was determined in the CBs of five different brands. The total content of phenols determined for each sample of freshly smoked CB was 215-861 µg/CB. For all CBs analysed, phenol, pyrocatechol and hydroquinone were the most abundant analytes, accounting for up to 75% of the content of all phenols determined. Phenol was the most abundant analyte (64.6-267.8 µg/CB) in all analysed samples. The content of pyrocatechol, the second most abundant analyte, was 45.6-221.2 µg/CB and the third most abundant analyte was hydroquinone (41.71-157.5 µg/CB). Monitoring the release of phenols from CBs into fresh natural waters (river, stream, pond) under steady and slight moving conditions showed that the kinetics of release is not influenced by the type of water. On the contrary, the process of decomposition of the released compounds is influenced by the type of water. The maximum concentrations of individual phenols in CBs extracts were comparable to those determined via laboratory extraction, thus indicating that within 72 h, most of the phenolic compounds are released from CBs into natural water. This research provides missing information on the phenolic content in CBs and the rate of release into water. It thus complements previously published information on CBs as a source of environmental contamination.

Exploring cigarette butts pollution in Saint Martin Island: A marine protected area

Saint Martin Island (SMI), the only coral island in Bangladesh, is located in the Bay of Bengal and has been identified as a marine protected area (MPA). Littering cigarette butts (CBs) waste in an ecologically sensitive environment can have numerous adverse effects. The purpose of this research is to investigate the abundance and density of CBs in SMI and to assess the pollution status using the Cigarette Butt Pollution Index (CBPI). This study is conducted based on the visual survey method in the three types of land use zones of SMI. During the peak season, the investigation was carried out from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in December 2023. A total of 4481 CBs item were counted, and the density ranged from 0.37 to 1.76 m-2 with an average value of 0.99 m-2 across 12 sampling campaigns. The highest density was observed at service zones, and the fishing zones had the lowest density. The calculated CBPI values revealed that 75 % of the sampling stations were in the "severe pollution" while 25 % were classified as "high pollution" status, underscoring the prevalence of hazardous CBs across most areas of SMI. To tackle these issues requires regulatory measures, public awareness initiatives, and community involvement. Effective waste management and eco-friendly product promotion can help reduce CBs pollution risks in marine protected islands.

Metals, nonmetals and metalloids in cigarette smoke as hazardous compounds for human health

Cigarette smoke contains many chemicals that are harmful to both smokers and non-smokers. Breathing just a little cigarette smoke can be harmful. There are >7000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, at least 250 are known to be harmful and many of them can cause cancer. Currently, many studies reported the types of harmful organic compounds in cigarette smoke; instead, there are almost no works that describe the presence of inorganic compounds. In this work, a cost-effective self-made passive sampler (SMPS) was tested as a tool to collect different types of particulate matter (PM) from cigarette smoke containing metals as hazardous compounds (HCs). To determine the nature of the metals, nonmetals and metalloids as HCs, a direct qualitative analysis of the particulate matter (PM) was conducted without developing any special sample preparation procedure. For that, non-invasive elemental (Scanning Electron Microscope coupled to Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry) and molecular (Raman microscopy) micro-spectroscopic techniques were used. Thanks to this methodology, it was possible to determine in deposited PM, the presence of metals such as Fe, Cr, Ni, Ti, Co, Sn, Zn, Ba, Al, Cu, Zr, Ce, Bi, etc. most of them as oxides but also embedded in different clusters with sulfates, aluminosilicates, even phosphates.

Cigarette filter fibres as a source and sink of trace metals in coastal waters

Cellulose acetate fibres from cigarette filters represent a form of microplastic that has received little attention in the environment. In this study, a ground composite of spent, smoked filter material (FM) has been used to investigate the role of cellulose acetate fibres as a source and a sink of trace metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in coastal waters. FM suspended in river water and seawater and mixtures thereof representative of an estuarine gradient resulted in the leaching of pre-existent metals derived from the combustion of tobacco, with mean percentages of release ranging from about 40 for Pb to nearly 90 for Cd, Co and Zn. Addition of 40 μg L-1 of each metal to FM suspensions incubated for 48 h yielded mean partition coefficients (KDs) ranging from <10 L kg-1 for Co to > 100 L kg-1 for Cu, Pb and Zn, with Cu and Ni displaying a net increase in KD with increasing salinity. Adsorption is interpreted in terms of hydrophobic interactions between metal-organic complexes and the cellulose acetate surface, and in support of this assertion KDs exhibited a significant, positive relationship with published metal-humic acid binding constants. The findings of this study improve our understanding of the role of cellulosic microfibres more generally in transporting trace metals in aquatic systems.

Elucidating nicotine transfer into water environments via cigarette butt remaining parts

Nicotine, the main alkaloid in tobacco, enters water environments through discarded cigarette butts (CBs), possibly causing detrimental effects. However, there is no comprehensive investigation on the long-term leaching of nicotine from the different CBs parts. Therefore, in the present study, the ecological risk and the leachate levels of nicotine from different CBs parts were investigated. Freshly smoked CBs, aged CBs collected from streets, remaining tobacco and ash of freshly smoked CBs, and filter plus paper of freshly smoked CBs were evaluated for the leachate experiments. The order of nicotine leachate from different types of CBs and parts investigated were as remaining tobacco plus ash of freshly smoked CBs > freshly smoked CBs > aged CBs > filter plus paper of freshly smoked CBs with the ranges of 5.73-17.34, 0.36-8.6, 0.31-4.12, and 0.17-2.79 mg of nicotine per g of CB or remaining parts (mg g-1), respectively. The ecological risk assessment revealed that nicotine leachates from all the CBs types or their remaining parts could be highly hazardous to fish, cladocerans, algae, and Daphnia magna. Based on the mean leachate levels of nicotine via freshly smoked CBs at exposure times of 1 min to 1 month and the estimated number of littered CBs every year on a worldwide scale, freshly smoked CBs may release 380-7065 tons of nicotine into water environments.

Seeing Beyond the Smoke: Selecting Waterpipe Wastewater Chemicals for Risk Assessments

Background

Increasing use prevalence of waterpipe tobacco smoking raises concerns about environmental impacts from waterpipe waste disposal. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is required to assess the environmental impact of its tobacco regulatory actions per the National Environmental Policy Act. This study builds on FDA's efforts characterizing the aquatic toxicity of waterpipe wastewater chemicals.

Methods

We compiled a comprehensive list of waterpipe wastewater chemical concentrations from literature. We then selected chemicals for risk assessment by estimating persistence, bioaccumulation, and aquatic toxicity characteristics (PBT; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), and hazardous concentration values (concentration affecting specific proportion of species).

Results

Of 38 chemicals in waterpipe wastewater with concentration data, 20 are listed as harmful or potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) in tobacco smoke and tobacco products by FDA, and 15 are hazardous waste per U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Among metals, six (cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, nickel and selenium) are included in both HPHC and hazardous waste lists and were selected for future risk assessments. Among non-metals, nicotine, and 4-methylnitrosamino-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) were shortlisted, as they are classified as persistent and toxic. Further, N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), with a low HC50 value for chronic aquatic toxicity, had high aquatic toxicity concern and is selected.

Conclusions

The presence of multiple hazardous compounds in waterpipe wastewater highlights the importance of awareness on the proper disposal of waterpipe wastewater in residential and retail settings. Future studies can build on the hazard characterization provided in this study through fate and transport modeling, exposure characterization and risk assessments of waterpipe wastewater chemicals.

Protecting public health and the environment: towards a general ban on cellulose acetate cigarette filters in the European Union

After the establishment of a causal relationship between tobacco use and cancer in the 1950s, cellulose acetate filters were introduced with the claim to reduce the adverse health impact of unfiltered cigarettes. Often perceived to be more pleasant and healthy, filters encouraged smoking. However, filtered cigarettes are more deeply inhaled to obtain the same nicotine demand while altered combustion releases more tobacco-specific nitrosamines. The increasing use of cigarette filter ventilation is associated with a sharp rise in lung adenocarcinomas in recent decades. While not preventing adverse health effects, a global environmental problem has been created due to the non-biodegradable filter litter, causing ecotoxicological effects and the spread of microplastics. Recently, the Belgian Superior Health Council advised policymakers to ban cigarette filters as single-use plastics at both national and European levels. This article outlines the arguments used to justify this plea (human health and environment), the expected effects of a filter ban, as well as the public reception and reactions of the tobacco industry. The specific context of the European Union is discussed including the revision of the Single-Use Plastics Directive, affording a new opportunity to ban plastic filters. This perspective article aims to fuel the momentum and cooperation among member states for this purpose.

Evaluating cigarette butt pollution: Insights from Cox's Bazar Sea beach of Bangladesh

Cigarette butts (CBs) have serious harmful effects on the environment and living organisms despite their small size. This research aims to investigate the abundance, densities and pollution status of CBs in Cox's Bazar Sea beach. The survey was conducted between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. in February 2023, during the peak season of the year. A total of 13,988 CBs were collected, and the mean density was 0.388 m-2 and ranges from 0.195 m-2 - to 0.689 m-2. The mean CBPI value was 7.78, which showed the "high pollution" status. According to CBPI analysis, 25 %, 41.67 %, 16.67 %, and 16.67 % were "severe pollution", "considerable pollution", "high pollution", and "pollution" status, respectively. From HII values, 91.67 % beach fell within the "Class III" category, indicating abundant toxic CBs in the study area. A total of 13 brands were identified, of which Derby (19.31 %), B&H (18.54 %), and Star (11.26 %) were more abundant brands. These findings from this study aim to increase awareness of the harmful effects of cigarette butts discarded intentionally or unintentionally by smokers.

Delivering on sustainable development goals in wastewater reuse for agriculture: Initial prioritization of emerging pollutants in the Tula Valley, Mexico

Wastewater reuse for agricultural irrigation is a widespread beneficial practice, in line with the sustainable development goals. However, contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) present in wastewater, such as pharmaceuticals, pose an environmental risk. The Tula Valley in Mexico is one of the world's largest agricultural areas reusing wastewater for agriculture. However, no untargeted CEC monitoring has been undertaken there, limiting the information available to prioritise local environmental risk assessment. Furthermore, CEC environmental presence in the Global South remains understudied, compared to the Global North. There is a risk that current research efforts focus on CECs predominantly found in the Global North, leading to strategies that may not be appropriate for the Global South where the pollution profile may be different. To address these knowledge gaps, a sampling campaign at five key sites in the Tula Valley was undertaken and samples analysed using multi-residue targeted and untargeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry methods. Using the targeted data, ten CECs were found to be of environmental risk for at least one sampling site: 4‑tert-octylphenol, acetaminophen, bezafibrate, diclofenac, erythromycin, levonorgestrel, simvastatin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and tramadol as well as total estrogenicity (combination of three steroid hormones). Six of these have not been previously quantified in the Tula Valley. Over one hundred pollutants never previously measured in the area were identified through untargeted analysis supported by library spectrum match. Examples include diclofenac and carbamazepine metabolites and area-specific pollutants such as the herbicide fomesafen. This research contributes to characterising the presence of CECs in the Global South, as well as providing site-specific data for the Tula Valley.

Post-consumption waterpipe tobacco waste as an unrecognized source of toxic metal(loid)s leachates into aquatic environments

Waterpipe is a common form of tobacco smoking, and recently, its use has been increasing globally. Therefore, concern arises regarding the large quantity of post-consumption waterpipe tobacco waste produced and released into the environment and which can contain high levels of dangerous pollutants such as toxic meta(loid)s. This study reports the concentrations of meta(loid)s in waste from fruit-flavoured and traditional tobacco smoking as well as the release rate of these pollutants from waterpipe tobacco waste into three types of water. These include distilled water, tap water, and seawater and contact times ranging from 15 min to 70 days. The mean concentration levels of Ʃmetal(loid)s in waste samples of Al-mahmoud, Al-Fakher, Mazaya, Al-Ayan brands and traditional tobacco brands were 212 ± 92.8, 198 ± 94.4, 197 ± 75.7, 214 ± 85.8 and 40.6 ± 16.1 μg/g, respectively. The concentration levels of Ʃmetal(loid)s in fruit-flavoured tobacco samples were significantly higher than for traditional tobacco samples (p < 0.05). It was found that waterpipe tobacco wastes leached toxic metal(loid)s into different water samples with similar trends. In addition distribution coefficients showed that most metal(loid)s are highly likely to enter the liquid phase. The concentration levels of these pollutants (except Ni and As) in deionized water and tap water exceeded the surface fresh water standards for sustaining aquatic life during long contact time (up to 70 days). In seawater, concentration levels of Cu and Zn exceeded the recommended standards for maintaining aquatic life in the sea. Therefore, due to the possibility of contamination by soluble metal(loid)s through disposal of waterpipe tobacco waste in wastewater, there is concern that these toxic chemicals might enter the human food chain. Appropriate regulatory measures for disposal of waterpipe tobacco waste are necessary to prevent environmental pollution due to discarded wastes into aquatic ecosystems.

Content of toxic components of cigarette, cigarette smoke vs cigarette butts: A comprehensive systematic review

The commercially sold cigarettes contain more than 7000 chemicals, and their combustion produces potential toxicants in mainstream smoke (MS), sidestream smoke (SS), secondhand smoke (SHS), thirdhand smoke (THS), and discarded cigarette butts (CBs). We conducted a systematic review of published literature to compare the toxicants produced in each of these phases of tobacco combustion (MS, SS, and CBs). The initial search included 12,301 articles, but after screening and final restrictions considering the aims of this review, 159 published studies were selected for inclusion. Additionally, SHS and THS are briefly discussed here. Overall, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other aromatic hydrocarbons have been represented in more studies than other compounds. However, metals and nitrosamines were detected in higher concentrations than other components in SS. The concentrations of most PAHs and other aromatic hydrocarbons in MS and SS are higher compared to concentrations found in CBs. Also, the concentrations of all the studied carbonyl compounds, aldehydes and ketones in SS and MS were higher than in CBs. The mean levels of alcohols and phenols in SS were higher than those reported for both MS and CBs. Tobacco toxicants are inhaled by smokers and transmitted to the environment through SS, SHS, THS, and discarded CBs. However, further studies are necessary to assess adverse effects of toxicants found in CBs and THS not only on human health, but also on the environment and ecosystems. The results of this review provide updated information on the chemical contents of MS, SS, SHS, THS, and CBs. It adds to the growing understanding that smoking creates major health problems for smokers and passive smokers, but also that it generates environmental hazards with consequences to the ecosystems and human health through discarded CBs, SHS, and THS exposure.

Levels of Chemical Toxicants in Waterpipe Tobacco and Waterpipe Charcoal Solid Waste

This work provides insights on waterpipe tobacco and waterpipe charcoal as potential sources of environmental toxicants. Selected harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) from ten U.S. commercial waterpipe tobacco filler products (before and after electric heating) and five waterpipe charcoal products (before and after burning) were investigated. The differences in quantities of HPHCs between the evaluated products appear to be affected by raw material properties and/or the manufacturing processes involved in product production. Trace metal quantities in waterpipe tobacco and charcoal products were observed after heating or burning conditions compared to unheated or unburned conditions, which could impact the environment through the generation of toxic tobacco product waste. This study demonstrates that waterpipe tobacco and waterpipe charcoal contain substantial quantities of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and trace metals (i.e., selenium, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead, nickel) before use and that extensive and varied changes in trace metal quantities take place as a result of heating, and more studies are needed to estimate the magnitude of the environmental impact of waterpipe tobacco use.

Potentially toxic elements leachates from cigarette butts into different types of water: A threat for aquatic environments and ecosystems?

Trillions of cigarette butts (CBs) are released into the environment and the leached potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from CBs may contaminate the environments. In this study, the leaching of PTEs including both heavy metals and metalloids (metal(loid)s) from CBs into deionized water (DW), tap water (TW), and seawater (SW) was checked during the different contact times (from 60 min to 60 days). According to the results, PTEs were leached from CBs into different water samples. However, there were no significant differences between leachates in DW and TW samples (p > 0.05). The results of the distribution coefficient indicated the high tendency of most PTEs to enter the liquid phase. The levels of leached PTEs into DW and TW exceeded the standards of surface freshwater to maintain aquatic life. Although the maximum level of leached metal(loid)s into DW, TW, and SW occurred at different times, for each type of water sample no significant differences were found among the levels of most PTEs at various contact times. Based on the results, the levels of leached metal(loid)s from CBs in seawater peak soon after being released into the water, while for the freshwater, they occur after some days. This phenomenon could possibly have short-term and long-term effects on marine and freshwater organisms, respectively. Due to the ability of the dissolved PTEs to integrate into the aquatic/terrestrial food web and threaten human health, some control measures regarding the disposal of CBs are necessary.

The ecological impacts of discarded cigarette butts

Cigarette butts, one of the most littered items globally, present a unique challenge to ecosystems due to their ubiquity, persistence, and potential for harm. Over 35 studies have examined the toxicity of cigarette butts in biota from aquatic and terrestrial habitats from microbes to mice, but many organisms and habitats have not been tested. Two-thirds of studies are on aquatic organisms, and lethal effects were common. Research on the impacts on terrestrial life is lagging behind. Cigarette butts can affect the growth, behaviour, and reproductive output of individual organisms in all three habitats, but research on wider effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is lacking. Here, we summarise the ecotoxicological concerns and identify important knowledge gaps for future research.

Aquatic toxicity of waterpipe wastewater chemicals

INTRODUCTION

The recent increase in U.S. popularity and use prevalence of water pipe (WP) tobacco smoking raises concerns about the potential environmental impacts of WP waste disposal and the need for strategies to reduce such impacts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is required to assess the environmental impacts of its tobacco regulatory actions per the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of this study was to identify and quantify specific chemical constituents in WP wastewater and to determine their potential aquatic toxicity.

METHODS

Using a modified Beirut smoking regimen, five different WP charcoal brands (n = 70) and ten WP tobacco brands (n = 35) were smoked separately using a WP smoking machine in which smoke was passed through the WP base water. We analyzed and quantified specific chemical constituents in the WP bowl wastewater through standardized U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Hazardous Waste Test Methods. We then characterized the ecological hazard for acute and chronic aquatic toxicity posed by the specific chemicals through compilations of Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and hazardous concentration values (concentration affecting 50% of the species).

RESULTS

Among the list of 31 specific chemicals analyzed, we detected 22 and 11 chemicals in wastewater from WP tobacco and WP charcoal smoking, respectively. Nearly half of the 22 WP wastewater chemicals were classified as "very toxic" or "toxic" for acute and chronic aquatic toxicity per GHS classification. The most hazardous compounds with acute and chronic toxicity in aquatic organisms include acrolein, acrylonitrile, and metals (cadmium, lead, chromium, nickel, cobalt) found in both WP tobacco and charcoal wastewater, and N-nitrosonornicotine, nicotine, crotonaldehyde and selenium were additionally found in WP tobacco wastewater. All the identified chemicals are considered harmful or potentially harmful constituents in tobacco products and tobacco smoke per FDA's list, and seventeen of them represent hazardous waste per EPA's list.

CONCLUSION

Our study expands the identification and quantifies several WP wastewater chemical constituents. It characterizes the ecological hazard of these chemicals and identifies chemicals of concern, aiding our evaluation of the environmental impacts of WP waste products. Our results add to the existing evidence that WP wastewater is a source of toxins that could affect water quality and aquatic organisms, and bioaccumulate in the environment if disposed of into public sewers, on the ground, or in an onsite septic system. These findings highlight the importance of concerted efforts to raise awareness of appropriate WP waste disposal practices in both retail and residential settings, and applicable regulatory compliance requirements for WP retailer establishments, thereby limiting hazards from WP wastewater.

Effects of cigarette butts on marine keystone species (Ulva lactuca L. and Mytilus edulis L.) and sediment microphytobenthos

Outdoor mesocosms with constantly flowing natural seawater were used to test the effects of littered cigarette butts on the filter feeder Mytilus edulis (blue mussel), the macroalga, Ulva lactuca (sea lettuce) and sediment microphytobenthos in a semi-natural marine setting. Either conventional, cellulose acetate, or biodegradable, cellulose, smoked cigarette butts were added at densities of 0.25 or 1 butt L^-1. The clearance rates of mussels exposed to 1 butt L^-1 of cellulose acetate butts were three times less than the controls. The growth of U. lactuca was not measurably affected by cigarette butts, however the sediment chlorophyll content was significantly less in mesocosms exposed to 0.25 and 1 butt L^-1 of cellulose acetate butts. These effects occurred despite constant replacement of seawater indicating how hazardous conventional cigarette butts are to marine life. Biodegradable cellulose cigarette butts had minimal effects on the measured variables but should still not be discarded as litter.