A new study published in the scientific journal Building and Environment reveals a persistent and evolving threat to indoor air quality known as "thirdhand smoke."
A new study published in the scientific journal Building and Environment reveals a persistent and evolving threat to indoor air quality known as "thirdhand smoke."
While the risks of secondhand smoke are well understood, this study, led by researchers from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, provides the first real-time analysis of how thirdhand smoke lingers and chemically transforms in our homes long after active smoking has ceased.
Thirdhand smoke is the toxic residue from tobacco smoke that adheres to surfaces such as walls, furniture, carpets and curtains. Unlike secondhand smoke, which is inhaled directly from the air, this contamination can embed itself in indoor environments.
The study demonstrates that it is not an inert stain but a dynamic source of pollution, continuously re-emitting particles and gases back into the air and undergoing chemical changes over time.
Read More: Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
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