Secondhand and thirdhand smoke: a review on chemical contents, exposure routes, and protective strategies

Secondhand smoke (SHS: a mixture of sidestream and mainstream smoke) and thirdhand smoke (THS: made up of the pollutants that settle indoors after smoking in closed environments) are a significant public health concern. SHS and THS contain various chemicals which can be released into the air or settle on surfaces. At present, the hazards of SHS and THS are not as well documented. In this review, we describe the chemical contents of THS and SHS, exposure routes, vulnerable groups, health effects, and protective strategies. The literature search was conducted for published papers on September 2022 in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. This review could provide a comprehensive understanding of the chemical contents of THS and SHS, exposure routes, vulnerable groups, health effects, protective strategies, and future researches on environmental tobacco smoke.

Automated summary

Secondhand smoke (SHS) and thirdhand smoke (THS) are significant public health concerns. They contain various chemicals that can be released into the air or settle on surfaces. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the chemical contents of THS and SHS, exposure routes, vulnerable groups, health effects, protective strategies, and future researches on environmental tobacco smoke.