Nicotine Analysis

Nicotine is an alkaloid found in plants of the Solanaceae family (genus Solanum) and is a key component of tobacco. Nicotine is addictive and can lead to dependence (one of the most difficult addictions to overcome); people often find it difficult to control their intake. Repeated use of nicotine increases the heart rate, raises blood pressure and reduces appetite. High doses of nicotine can cause vomiting and nausea; in severe cases, it can be fatal. Tobacco typically contains nicotine, which is a major reason why many smokers find it impossible to quit.

Harmful components in cigarette smoke include carbon monoxide, alkaloids such as nicotine, amines, nitriles, alcohols, phenols, alkanes, alkenes, carbonyl compounds, nitrogen oxides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic compounds, heavy metals and organic pesticides.

For a long time, the analysis of cigarette constituents has been a prerequisite for promoting good health, and online mass spectrometers can play a special role in this regard.

Analysis of mainstream aerosols in tobacco smoke: Commercially available smoking simulators can be connected to mass spectrometers to precisely control the duration, volume and frequency of inhalation, enabling subsequent online mass spectrometry analysis and real-time quantification.

Adjustable dynamic range: A specialised dilution system can extend the dynamic range of the online mass spectrometer by several orders of magnitude, enabling the study of even extremely high concentrations in mainstream aerosol without any saturation effects.

Exhaled breath analysis: Utilising the mass spectrometer’s breath analysis interface, this method quantifies both relatively high concentrations of compounds in exhaled breath following a closed-mouth manoeuvre and extremely low concentrations following the inhalation of aerosols with instantaneous resolution.

Puff-by-puff analysis: Compared to established offline methods, the online mass spectrometer provides true puff-by-puff analysis for both mainstream and exhaled breath investigations.

Via a dedicated breath sampling interface, it can be directly connected to our ProC-TOF online mass spectrometer for real-time online quantification. Carefully selected materials, combined with a cold spot-free design, prevent the accumulation of unwanted background signals.

The ProC-TOF online mass spectrometer provides continuous qualitative and quantitative analysis. To obtain high-precision concentration values, it facilitates rapid and user-friendly calibration for specific compounds in e-liquids. Use the ProC-TOF online mass spectrometer for direct analysis. There is no need to purchase expensive liquid standards, saving on consumables whilst making operation more convenient.

l Qualitative analysis of tobacco smoke components

l Qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of flue gas components

Qualitative analysis of alkenes and alkynes

Qualitative analysis of oxygen-containing compounds

l Qualitative analysis of benzene compounds

Cigarette smoke constituents

Puff-by-puff analysis of smoke composition

Changes in the concentrations of four different constituents in Hongwan (flue-cured tobacco cigarette A) and Dubao (blended tobacco cigarette B) as the number of puffs increases (photon energy 12.0 eV)