The in situ detection of smoking in public area by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2020-03, Vol.242, p.125184, Article 125184
• Main Authors: Zhang, Qihang, Liu, Yuzhu, Yin, Wenyi, Yan, Yihui, Li, Lei, Xing, Guanhua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: In situ detection; Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy; Mass Spectrometry - methods; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Single particles aerosol mass spectrometer; Smoke - analysis; Smoke pollution; Smoking; Spectrum Analysis - methods; Tobacco Smoke Pollution - analysis
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125184

The cigarette smoke in public area could be harmful to the non-smokers. In this paper, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is applied to the in situ detection of the cigarette smoke in public area, and the single particles aerosol mass spectrometer (SPAMS) is utilized to aid the elemental analysis as well as realize the isotope detection. According to the obtained emission spectra, the smoke consists of Mg, Ca, Sr, Na, K elements which are absent in air, and the concentrations of H2O and CO2 in smoke increase obviously. Moreover, the cigarette ash after burning is taken as the sample for off-line detection and several heavy metal elements are detected. The comparison between the spectra of cigarette smoke and ash shows that these two kinds of detection are greatly different in terms of constituent and plasma status. In addition, the molecular emission of Carbon–Nitrogen was observed in smoke spectrum, and the molecular vibrational and rotational temperature of CN molecule was calculated. Finally, the LIBS and SPAMS were applied to the semi-quantitative detection and isotope analysis of Pb in the smoke. [Display omitted] •The first study of the in situ detection of smoking in public area by LIBS and SPAMS.•The smoking was firstly detected by both on-line and off-line optical methods.•The CN band for cigarette was firstly studied by combining theory and experiment.•The self-designed SPAMS was applied to the isotope abundance analysis.