Determination of committed effective dose for active smoker and passive smoker from Polonium-210 and Lead-210

Many studies were interested in the harmful effects of tobacco cigarettes on human health due to the presence of known dangerous substances. It was reported that cigarette smoke may contain thousands of chemicals including dozens of known carcinogenic compounds. In this study, ten cigarette brands and one hookah tobacco, purchased in Syria, were investigated to quantify the amount of ²¹0Po, ²¹0Pb, and some trace elements in the cigarette smoke inhaled by active and passive smokers. The estimated annual committed effective dose (CED) from ²¹⁰Po, ²¹⁰Pb inhalation was relatively small, however, it is still unjustified from the point of view of radiation protection. For 20 cigarettes smoked per day, the CED was estimated at 56.74 μSv/y for an adult active smoker, and at 68.35 μSv/y for a teenager active smoker. The values of CEDs for passive smokers were very low (5.05 μSv/y indoor and 26.62 μSv/y in cafes). On the other hand, the concentrations of trace elements (cadmium, zinc, copper, lead) inhaled by active and passive smokers were higher than those reported for the urban air.In conclusion, the harmful effects, from ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb, might be relatively small in comparison with the dangerous chemicals in the tobacco cigarettes. (author)