April Hurlock, Bucknell University alumna, and Dr. Douglas Collins, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Bucknell University, recently published a study on how the chemicals in thirdhand smoke have inherent oxidative potential that can cause oxidation reactions without other substances purposely added. Until now, scientists believed that thirdhand smoke residue becomes more toxic because it interacts with other added substances like ozone or nitrous acid. This study, however, found that thirdhand smoke residue by itself can change the composition of chemicals on indoor surfaces over time. This change in composition likely alters how toxic the chemicals on indoor surfaces are, but more research is needed to confirm this.
Hurlock, who graduated from Bucknell with a Bachelor’s of Science in Chemistry in 2023, used this research as the basis of her Honors Thesis. She later worked as a Research Technician at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia and is now a medical student at Northwestern University.
Click here to read the research study.
Click here to read Hurlock’s thesis.
