SIGNIFICANCE: Characterisation of tobacco product emissions is an important step in assessing their impact on public health. Accurate and repeatable emissions data require that a leak-tight seal be made between the smoking or vaping machine and the mouth-end of the tobacco product being tested. This requirement is challenging because of the variety of tobacco product mouth-end geometries being puffed on by consumers today. We developed and tested a prototype universal smoking machine adaptor (USMA) that interfaces with existing machines and reliably seals with a variety of tobacco product masses and geometries. METHODS: Emissions were machine-generated using the USMA and other available adaptors for a variety of electronic cigarettes (n=7 brands), cigars (n=4), cigarillos (n=2), a heated tobacco product, and a reference cigarette (1R6F), and mainstream total particulate matter (TPM) and nicotine were quantified. Data variability (precision, n≥10 replicates/brand) for all products and error (accuracy) from certified values (1R6F) were compared across adaptors. RESULTS: TPM and nicotine emissions generated using the USMA were accurate, precise and agreed with certified values for the 1R6F reference cigarette. Replicate data indicate that USMA repeatability across all tobacco products tested generally meets or exceeds that from the comparison adaptors and extant data. CONCLUSION: The USMA seals well with a variety of combustible tobacco products, e-cigarettes with differing geometries and plastic-tipped cigarillos. Variability for all measures was similar or smaller for the USMA compared with other adaptors.

Carbonyls are harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) in mainstream cigarette smoke (MSS). Carbonyls, including formaldehyde and acrolein, are carcinogenic or mutagenic in a dose-dependent manner. Past studies demonstrate significant reduction of HPHCs by charcoal filtration. However, limits of charcoal filtration and cigarette design have not yet been investigated in a systematic manner. Objective data is needed concerning the feasibility of HPHC reduction in combustible filtered cigarettes. This systematic study evaluates the effect of charcoal filtration on carbonyl reduction in MSS. We modified filters of ten popular cigarette products with predetermined quantities (100-400 mg) of charcoal in a plug-space-plug configuration. MSS carbonyls, as well as total particulate matter, tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide (TNCO), and draw resistance were quantified. Significant carbonyl reductions were observed across all cigarette products as charcoal loading increased. At the highest charcoal loadings, carbonyls were reduced by nearly 99%. Tar and nicotine decreased modestly (<20%) compared to reductions in carbonyls. Increased draw resistance was significant at only the highest charcoal loadings. This work addresses information gaps in the science base that can inform the evaluation of charcoal filtration as an available technological adaptation to cigarette design which reduces levels of carbonyls in MSS.

Sickle cell diseases are inborn blood disorders caused by the presence of an abnormal form of hemoglobin, hemoglobin S (HbS). Mortality from sickle cell disease during the first 3 to 4 years of life can be virtually eliminated by newborn screening and appropriate follow-up and treatment [1]. Three sickle cell diseases (sickle cell anemia, sickle hemoglobin C disease and sickle β thalassemia) are included in the United States' recommended uniform newborn screening panel [2]. HbS is the newborn screening marker for all three disorders. | The Newborn Screening Quality Assurance Program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prepares and validates dried-blood spot (DBS) proficiency testing materials to assist laboratories with monitoring the performance of their newborn screening tests [3]. As part of routine evaluations of marker stabilities in DBS samples, we used measurements by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) methods to compare the stabilities of HbA and HbS in DBSs stored for predetermined intervals at elevated temperature (37°C) and low (<30%) or high (>50%) humidity. The objectives of these studies were to measure separately the contributions of heat and humidity to the degradation of HbS and HbA in DBS samples and to evaluate the level of concordance between results from the two analysis methods used.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to measure separately the contributions of heat and humidity to changes in levels of hemoglobins A and S in dried-blood-spot (DBS) samples. DESIGN AND METHODS: We stored paired sets of DBSs at 37 degrees C for predetermined intervals in low-humidity and high-humidity environments. Hemoglobin A and S levels of all samples in each complete set were measured in a single high performance liquid chromatography run. RESULTS: During the one-month storage intervals, both hemoglobin species lost about 35% of initial levels in low-humidity storage and almost all of initial levels in high-humidity storage. CONCLUSIONS: Minimizing both humidity and temperature in the transportation and storage environments of DBS samples is essential to maintaining the integrity of the hemoglobin tetramer molecules.