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Background <p>Although cigarette butts (CBs) are known as a hazardous waste and an important litter in public environments, the density of littered cigarette butts in rural areas and the concentration of pollutants leaking from them remain a knowledge gap. This study aimed to investigate the difference in cigarette butt density in urban and rural areas of Iran and the environmental consequences caused by the leakage of various pollutants from them, by comparing the Cigarette Butt Pollution Index (CBPI). </p> Method <p>Visual surveys were conducted in seven locations in urban environments and sixteen locations in eight villages.</p> Results <p>The range of cigarette butt density in urban environments was 0.25/m2 to 0.81/m2 (0.46/m2 on average), while in rural environments, it was 0.8/m2 to 2.33/m2 (1.54/m2 on average). Additionally, the CBPI in rural areas was three times higher than in urban areas, resulting in an average CBPI of 31.24 in rural areas and 10.7 in urban areas. In addition, the higher durability of cigarette butts in rural environments resulted in the leakage of 1.09–2.38 µg/m2 of heavy metals, while the leakage of metals from littered cigarette butts in urban environments was estimated to be 0.065–0.406 µg/m2.</p> Conclusion <p>Developing public services such as cleaning systems in rural environments is essential to reduce pollution caused by cigarette butts.</p>

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Evaluation of cigarette butt pollution index and associated heavy metal leakage in urban and rural environments of Iran

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月9日

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  • Masoud Yousefi,
  • Fatemeh Torkaman Asadi,
  • Ahmad Badeenezhad,
  • Mohammad Ansarizadeh,
  • Lida Rafati,
  • Javad Torkashvand

摘要

Background

Although cigarette butts (CBs) are known as a hazardous waste and an important litter in public environments, the density of littered cigarette butts in rural areas and the concentration of pollutants leaking from them remain a knowledge gap. This study aimed to investigate the difference in cigarette butt density in urban and rural areas of Iran and the environmental consequences caused by the leakage of various pollutants from them, by comparing the Cigarette Butt Pollution Index (CBPI).

Method

Visual surveys were conducted in seven locations in urban environments and sixteen locations in eight villages.

Results

The range of cigarette butt density in urban environments was 0.25/m2 to 0.81/m2 (0.46/m2 on average), while in rural environments, it was 0.8/m2 to 2.33/m2 (1.54/m2 on average). Additionally, the CBPI in rural areas was three times higher than in urban areas, resulting in an average CBPI of 31.24 in rural areas and 10.7 in urban areas. In addition, the higher durability of cigarette butts in rural environments resulted in the leakage of 1.09–2.38 µg/m2 of heavy metals, while the leakage of metals from littered cigarette butts in urban environments was estimated to be 0.065–0.406 µg/m2.

Conclusion

Developing public services such as cleaning systems in rural environments is essential to reduce pollution caused by cigarette butts.