Estimation of urinary cotinine cut-off points distinguishing non-smokers, passive and active smokers.

An objective assessment of exposure to tobacco smoke may be accomplished by means of examining particular biomarkers in body fluids. The most common biomarker of tobacco smoke exposure is urinary, or serum, cotinine. In order to distinguish non-smokers from passive smokers and passive smokers from active smokers, it is necessary to estimate cotinine cut-off points.

[Determination of urinary cotinine and 1-hydroxypyrene and blood carboxyhemoglobine as the biomarkers of tobacco smoke exposure].

The following biomarkers: cotinine, 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) and carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) were used for the estimation of the tobacco smoke exposure. In our study urine and blood sampled from 98 volunteers were subjected to assessment of the biomarkers concentrations under investigation. According to the self-reports of the volunteers, all of the volunteers were divided into three groups: non-smokers, passive and active smokers.

[Effect of accumulating fluorine and sulphur compounds on the content of chlorophyll in pine needles (Pinus sylvestris L.) from some areas of southern Poland in 2001-2003].

Concentrations of F(-), S and chlorophyll in needles of pines growing near metallurgical works and power plants were determined. A statistically significant positive correlation between F(-) (in the range of 4.32 to 21.

Toxicity and biodegradability of sulfonamides and products of their photocatalytic degradation in aqueous solutions.

The photocatalytic degradation of sulfacetamide, sulfathiazole, sulfamethoxazole and sulfadiazine in water solutions during their illumination of UV radiation (lambda(max) 366 nm) with TiO2 catalyst was examined. The growth-inhibition effect of sulfonamides and intermediate products theirs photodegradation was investigated in aqueous solution with the green alga Chlorella vulgaris. The biodegradability of the investigated compounds was determined in the illuminated solutions and is expressed as Biochemical Oxygen Demand.

[Biomarkers of tobacco smoke].

In order to estimate the exposure of passive and active smokers to tobacco smoke one can use the questionnaire method or laboratory examination of chemical compounds being widely accepted exposure biomarkers. Substances that make such biomarkers include some of the tobacco smoke components and its metabolites formed in the body. The study discusses two groups of biomarkers.