Silicone Wristbands: Personal Samplers for Tobacco Toxicants

Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of tobacco smoke, but measuring exposure to tobacco smoke chemicals in children is difficult and expensive. This study will evaluate whether a simple silicone wristband can be worn and used as a sampler to absorb and record children’s exposure to nicotine and other toxic compounds in tobacco smoke and e-cigarettes. We will ask children to wear one wristband for two days and two for 1 week. We will compare three exposure groups, consisting of children living with either nonsmokers/non e-cigarette users, smokers, or e-cigarette users. We will measure nicotine and other compounds from tobacco and e-cigarettes in the wristbands through analysis in our laboratory. We will compare the wristbands to other established methods of measuring exposure and ask participants about the ease of use and acceptability. In preliminary studies, the silicone wristband has been shown to be able to detect a wide variety of environmental chemicals. However, no one has yet determined whether it will be useful for detecting tobacco-related chemicals. If this wristband proves acceptable, this study will provide a new inexpensive tool to detect tobacco smoke chemicals and to protect children and other vulnerable populations affected by tobacco exposure.