Indoor Air Quality

How would you know whether the quality of the air you’re breathing is poor?

Can we see it?

To some, the first indication might be visual; for example, smog or black smoke.

But the presence of something visible doesn’t reveal how harmful the compounds in the air can be.

The best way is to measure those individual airborne compounds regardless of their color.

We have
to measure.

Assessing air quality is an important factor of the science behind our smoke-free products – in this case Tobacco Heating System – as it provides a strong indication of the potential impact that a product’s use may have on bystanders.

So how exactly do we measure air quality?

We measure air quality by analyzing the effect of the use of Tobacco Heating System or cigarettes, compared to background air.

We do this by conducting experiments under simulated environmental settings.

We measure 24 compounds including carbonyls, tobacco-specific nitrosamines and volatile organic compounds under simulated residential conditions to evaluate whether their concentration is increased after the use of cigarettes or Tobacco Heating System.

Dedicated laboratory in our R&D facility

R&D FACILITY

In our R&D facility, the Cube, we have installed a room dedicated specifically to perform indoor air quality tests under various conditions.

It is a fully furnished office with the ability to host a group of people of the size required by the simulated setting.

Click on the image to pop up chart and descriptions.

How do the experiments work?

Controlled Ventilation

The ventilation in the room can be adjusted to simulate different environments, such as homes, offices, and restaurants.

Measuring Tools

The room is equipped with several tools that allow tracking and measuring of the compounds in the air.

Both the measurements and the set-up of the exposure room are based on the European ventilation performance standard.*

* European Committee for Standardization (2006). CEN European Standard EN 15251. Indoor environmental input parameters for design and assessment of energy performance of buildings addressing indoor air quality, thermal environment, lighting and acoustics. European Committee for Standardization, Brussels.

Our experiments

During the experiments three different settings were simulated:

OFFICE SETTING

It involved three people and a ventilation rate (the amount of air being pumped into/out of the room) of 156 m³/hour.

RESTAURANT ENVIRONMENT

It involved five people in total, paired with a ventilation rate of 555 m³/hour.

HOME ENVIRONMENT

It involved 5 participants with an 87 m³/hour ventilation rate. Additionally, another study carried out involved 3 people at 37 m³/hour.

Image of the room is for illustrative purposes only.

How do we ensure accurate measurements?

To ensure accurate measurements and no cross-contamination, we air-washed the room overnight with a ventilation rate of 750 m³/hour of clean filtered air, and the furniture was cleaned with a water-ethanol mixture.

To establish a background baseline, the air quality was also determined before any Tobacco Heating System or cigarette use.

What did we find out?

We evaluated 18 different compounds for all three settings, and 24 compounds in the additional home environment study, for both Tobacco Heating System and cigarette use.

Across the settings, Tobacco Heating System use resulted in no significant difference compared to background air for the majority of the measured compounds. Only the levels of nicotine, acetaldehyde, and glycerin were measurably higher than the background, although well below the limits established in existing air quality guidelines.

Cigarette use resulted in a significant difference in levels of all measured compounds versus background levels, and in higher levels than Tobacco Heating System.

What does this mean?

The use of Tobacco Heating System in an indoor environment, where norms of adequate ventilation are respected, does not adversely affect the overall indoor air quality.

Experiments under real-life settings

Conducting indoor air quality measurements in real-life settings is of key importance to determine the influence of the use of smoke-free products on indoor air quality compared with other potential sources of pollution.

We have conducted studies in restaurants, entertainment environments, stores, and other real-life settings.

What was the aim and what did we find?

The aim of the studies was to evaluate the levels of compounds such as nicotine, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein in air during use of Tobacco Heating System and to compare them to the maximum allowable concentrations for the selected compounds in the corresponding environments.

The compounds were measured by qualified technicians and scientists using certified equipment.

Real-life setting studies conclusion

Studies under various real-life settings showed that the use of Tobacco Heating System does not adversely affect the overall indoor air quality according to exposure limits established in air quality guidelines.