Kent B. Koller

Mainstream smoke gas phase filtration performance of adsorption materials evaluated with a puff-by-puff multiplex GC-MS method

Abstract The mainstream smoke filtration performance of activated carbon, silica gel and polymeric aromatic resins for gas-phase components was evaluated using a puff-by-puff multiplex gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis method (1). The sample 1R4F Kentucky reference cigarettes were modified by placing the adsorbents in a plug/space/plug filter configuration. Due to differences in surface area and structural characteristics, the adsorbent materials studied showed different levels of filtration activities for the twenty-six constituents monitored. Activated carbon had significant adsorption activity for all the gas-phase smoke constituents observed except ethane and carbon dioxide, while silica gel had significant activities for polar components such as aldehydes, acrolein, ketones, and diacetyl. XAD-16 polyaromatic resins showed varied levels of activity for aromatic compounds, cyclic dienes and ketones.

Assessment of nicotine uptake from cigarette smoke: comparison of a colorimetric test strip (NicCheck I™) and gas chromatography/mass selective detector

Colorimetric test strip assays are a convenient and inexpensive means for the determination of cotinine in human urine because they can be performed in a nonlaboratory environment using a trained technician. Four hundred human urine samples were separated into four categories: (1) heavy smokers (>20 cigarettes smoked per day), (2) light smokers (<20 cigarettes smoked per day), (3) non-smokers, and (4) vegetarian non-smokers. Samples were evaluated by a gas chromatography/mass selective detector (GC/MSD) method as a reference and using NicCheck I™ (DynaGen, Inc.). Colour intensity can range from 0 (no colour) to 14 (deep pink). Qualitative values were assigned as negative (0), low (1-6) and high (7-14). Comparison of the test strip and GC/MSD results showed: (1) 43 (10.75%) false negatives using the criterion of a GC/MSD cotinine level above 200 ng ml-1 and test strip reading of 0, (2) 31 (7.75%) false positives using the criterion of a GC/MSD cotinine level below 1 ng ml-1 and a test strip reading of 1 or greater, and (3) no correlation between the test strip and GC/MSD results (r = 0.597, p < 0.05). The fact that the colorimetric reaction is sensitive to many nicotine metabolites and/or heterocyclic amine structures whereas the GC/MSD method measures nicotine and cotinine selectively might explain the false positive results. False negative results were likely to be due to a lack of sensitivity of the test strip.