PMI’s heat-not-burn Tobacco Heating System 2.2 (THS 2.2) generates tobacco aerosol containing mainly water, glycerine and nicotine. To address public health concerns about the possible presence of polluting substances during indoor use of THS 2.2, a study was conducted using an environmentally controlled room to simulate a residential environment with a low ventilation rate (0.5 air changes/h) and design occupancy of 8 m²/person (two panellists, one PMI representative). Twelve sticks were consumed over the two-hour air collection period.

Twenty-three constituents (nicotine, 3-ethenylpyridine, solanesol, respirable suspended particles by gravimetric measurement, particulate matter by UV and fluorescence, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), acetaldehyde, acrolein, crotonaldehyde, formaldehyde, acrylonitrile, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, toluene, glycerine, propylene glycol, N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NNK), carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and combined oxides of nitrogen) were quantified by validated and ISO17025 accredited methods. These analytes cover environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), indoor air quality (IAQ) and product-specific markers (e.g. glycerine).

In comparison to background air, only three compounds can be attributed to the use of THS 2.2: nicotine (1.15 µg/m³), acetaldehyde (3.44 µg/m³) and glycerine (10.5 µg/m³). Their levels are far below the maximum exposure levels as defined in existing air quality guidelines. Moreover, based on Total Volatile Organic Compounds data analyses, the chemical composition of the background air and air during use of THS 2.2 were remarkably similar. Evaluation of the concentrations of particulate matter constituents, volatiles and semi-volatile compounds confirm that THS 2.2 is not a source of ETS. In conclusion, using THS 2.2 does not have a negative impact on the overall air quality.