Particle concentrations inside a tavern before and after prohibition of smoking: Evaluating the performance of an indoor air quality model

Abstract

Measurements were made of respirable suspended particles (RSP) in a large sports tavern on 26 dates over approximately two years in which smoking was allowed, followed by mea-surements on 50 dates during the year after smoking was prohibited. The smoking prohibition occurred without warn-ing when the city government passed a regulation restrict-ing smoking in local restaurants and taverns. Two follow-up field surveys, consisting of 24 and 26 visits, respectively, were conducted to measure changes in RSP levels after smoking was prohibited. No decrease in tavern attendance was evi-dent after smoking was prohibited. During the smoking pe-riod, the average RSP concentration was 56.8 |ig/m3 above the outdoor concentrations, but the average abruptly dropped to 5.9 ug/m3 above outdoor levels—a 90 % de