Table 3

Percentage of metal leached from cigarette butts with respect to concentration in whole American cigarettes and annual amount of metal leached from cigarette butts littered worldwide

MetalConcentration in whole cigarette, μg/gPercentage leachedAmount leached worldwide,* kg/year
Al950±354161.2±0.59.26±1.99
Ba48.7±11.21621±88.76±2.52
Cd0.99±0.492314±90.120±0.048
Cr1.78±2.371617±230.254±0.117
Cu11±0.52336±63.33±1.25
Fe394±132311±338.1±8.2
Mn178±82323±333.8±3.7
Ni2.75±0.312312±30.288±0.215
Pb2.39±0.322359±151.20±0.27
Sr39.6±14.01659±2219.7±2.1
Ti106±61160.7±0.40.644±0.084
Zn35.3±0.72319±25.54±0.91
  • * Calculated using highest mean metal concentration leached and estimated amount of cigarette butts littered annually.1