A Proposed Waterpipe Emissions Topography Protocol Reflecting Natural Environment User Behaviour

Abstract

Usage of waterpipes is growing in popularity around the world. Limited waterpipe natural environment topography data reduces the ability of the research community to accurately assess emissions and user exposure to toxicants. A portable ergonomic waterpipe monitor was provided to study participants to use every time they smoked their own waterpipe during a one-week monitoring period in conjunction with their own choice shisha tobacco. Users provided demographic information and logged their product use to supplement electronic monitor data. A total of 44 prospective study participants were invited to an intake appointment following an on-line pre-screening survey. Of these, 34 individuals were invited to participate in the study and data for 24 individuals who completed all aspects of the 1-week monitoring protocol is presented. 7493 puffs were observed during 74 waterpipe sessions accumulating over 48 h of waterpipe usage. The 95% CI on mean puff flow rate, duration, volume and interval are presented, yielding grand means of 243 [mL/s], 3.5 [s], 850 [mL], and 28 [s] respectively. The middle 95% of puff flow rates ranged between 62 to 408 [mL/s], durations from 0.8 to 6.8 [s], and puff volumes from 87 to 1762 [mL]. A waterpipe emissions topography protocol consisting of 13 flow conditions is proposed to reflect 93% of the observed range of puff flow rate, puff duration and puff volume with representative inter-puff interval, cumulative session time and aerosol volumes.