A two part thesis: assessment of exposure to secondhand smoke at outdoor bars and restaurants in Athens, GA, using salivary cotinine : and measuring PM2.5 and carbon monoxide in real-time from secondhand smoke at outdoor bars and family restaurants in Athens, GA

The first study is an assessment of exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) at outdoor bars and restaurants using salivary cotinine as a biological marker. Saliva samples from non-smokers, age 21-30, were analyzed for cotinine both pre- and post-exposure to SHS. Salivary cotinine from subjects at the bar sites increased by an average ( std. dev.) of 0.1140.163 ng/ml compared to an average increase of 0.0390.049 ng/ml for subjects at the restaurant sites. Subjects at the control site had an average increase of 0.0060.016 ng/ml. The second study measures, in real-time, levels of particulate matter 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) and carbon monoxide (CO) at outdoor bars and family restaurants in Athens, GA. The average PM2.5 and CO levels at the bar were 123.2 g/m and 1.46 ppm, respectively. The restaurant recorded average PM2.5 and CO readings of 59.2 g/m and 1.48 ppm, respectively. A Dustrak aerosol monitor measured PM2.5.