Chapter 9 - Determination of nicotine in tobacco, tobacco processing environments and tobacco products

Abstract

This chapter deals with three topics, the determination of nicotine in tobacco, nicotine in tobacco processing environments, and regulatory aspects dealing with nicotine in tobacco products. The first topic presents historical perspective of the progress of researchers in tobacco science and achievements in analytical chemistry made in the determination of alkaloids in tobacco from 1826 to the present. The second part describes tobacco processing, which occurs within the tobacco industry, mainly the cigarette industry, and the determinations of nicotine that have been made in the individual process streams. The chapter also describes a typical tobacco manufacturing operation and presents reasons precise and accurate measurements of tobacco nicotine are necessary for quality assurance/quality control determinations. The third part highlights the current legislative and regulatory issues concerning the determinations of nicotine in tobacco and tobacco products.