Mainstream Smoke Constituents Research Articles

Mainstream smoke constituents and in vitro toxicity comparative analysis of 3R4F and 1R6F reference cigarettes.

A new Kentucky reference cigarette, 1R6F, has been manufactured to replace the depleting 3R4F reference cigarette. The 3R4F Kentucky reference cigarettes have been widely used as monitor or comparator cigarettes for mainstream smoke analysis and in vitro and in vivo toxicological data of cigarettes and novel tobacco products. Both reference cigarettes were analyzed in the same laboratory during the same period of time with the goal of performing a comparison of 3R4F and 1R6F. On the basis of the results obtained from aerosol chemistry and in vitro assays, we consider that the 1R6F reference cigarette is a suitable replacement for the 3R4F reference cigarette as a comparator/monitor cigarette. Its specific use as a comparator for novel tobacco products was checked on the basis of a comparative test with the Tobacco Heating System 2.2 as an example.

Accurate measurement of main aerosol constituents from heated tobacco products (HTPs): Implications for a fundamentally different aerosol

ISO 4387 Standard determines the main aerosol constituents (total particulate matter, water, nicotine, and nicotine-free-dry-particulate matter, referred to as “tar”) in cigarette mainstream smoke (ISO, 2000). Heated Tobacco Products (also called Tobacco Heating Products or Heat-not-Burn Products) are designed to form aerosol by heating tobacco rather than burning like in combustible cigarettes. In this study we have evaluated the suitability of ISO 4387 Standard to be adapted for quantifying main aerosol constituents for HTP aerosol. HTP emissions have much higher levels of water and humectants (e.g., glycerol) in dynamic equilibria between gaseous and particulate phases. Several modifications to ISO 4387 Standard on aerosol collection were tested to improve the accuracy and reliability of aerosol capturing, with minimal deviation to the standard method. The proposed modifications are readily adoptable by laboratories already practicing the Standard for cigarette smoke analyses. Taking collectively with other available aerosol chemistry and biological results on HTPs in the literature, they show a fundamentally different aerosol in HTPs and call for category-specific product standards and terminology.

Cigarillo and Little Cigar Mainstream Smoke Constituents from Replicated Human Smoking.

Little cigar and cigarillo smoking is increasing in popularity in the U.S., but little is known about the topography and mainstream smoke (MSS) constituents of these types of cigar products. This report describes the quantity of selected MSS toxicants generated from puff-by-puff replication of human laboratory smoking. Participants were dual users of cigarettes and either little cigars ( n = 21) or cigarillos ( n = 23). In the laboratory smoking session, participants of the little cigar group smoked a filtered unflavored Winchester Little Cigar; those in the cigarillo group smoked an unfiltered, unflavored Black & Mild cigarillo. MSS components included both volatiles and semivolatile compounds. The MSS of five representative U.S. domestic cigarettes was generated using smoking topography profiles of the participants smoking their own brand of cigarettes. Machine smoking accurately replicated individual puff profiles as indicated by a high correlation between lab and machine smoked: time to smoke, number of puffs, and total puff volume. There was wide variability in smoking patterns across subjects of both little cigars and cigarillos. For example, total puff volume ranged from 84 to 732 mL after the little cigar and from 270 to 2089 mL after the cigarillo. Qualitatively, cigar smoke from little cigars and cigarillos were similar and resembles cigarette smoke. All analytes (VOC and SVOCs) were greater in cigarillo smoke compared to that of little cigars and cigarettes. However, when the toxicants were adjusted for grams of tobacco burned, little cigar smoke contained more nicotine, tobacco-specific nitrosamines, acetonitrile, and acrylonitrile compared with cigarillo smoke. When the constituents were adjusted for nicotine content, cigarillo MSS contained more of all toxicants compared with little cigar. Cigarillos and little cigars, like cigarettes, deliver nicotine and other toxicants known to be harmful to health; their regulation by the FDA is appropriate for their public health risk.

Optimized method for determination of 16 FDA polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in mainstream cigarette smoke by gas chromatography\u2013mass spectrometry

A gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) method was validated for the determination of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the FDA list of 93 harmful or potentially harmful constituents of mainstream cigarette smoke (MCS). Target analytes were extracted from total particulate matter using accelerated solvent extraction with a toluene/ethanol solvent mixture. Matrix artefacts were removed by two-step solid-phase extraction process. Three different GC–MS systems [GC–MS (single quadrupole), GC–MS/MS (triple quadrupole) and GC–HRMS (high resolution, magnetic sector)] using the same separation conditions were compared for the analysis of MCS of 3R4F Kentucky reference cigarettes generated under ISO and intense smoking regimes. The high mass resolution (m/∆m ≥ 10,000) and associated selectivity of detection by GC–HRMS provided the highest quality data for the target PAHs in MCS. Owing to the HR data acquisition mode enabling measurement of accurate mass, limits of quantification for PAHs were 5 to 15-fold lower for GC–HRMS than for GC–MS/MS and GC–MS. The presented study illustrates that the optimised sample preparation strategy followed by GC–HRMS analysis provides a fit-for-purpose and robust analytical approach allowing measurement of PAHs at (ultra)low concentrations in MCS. Furthermore, the study illustrates the importance and benefits of robust sample preparation and clean-up to compensate for limited selectivity when low-resolution MS is used.

Mixture risk assessment of selected mainstream cigarette smoke constituents generated from low-yield cigarettes in South Korean smokers

A total of 38 hazardous constituents in mainstream cigarette smoke of low-yield cigarettes sold in Korea were selected and analyzed using established methods. Risk calculations were performed using risk algorithms employed in previous studies and Korean population-based exposure parameters. The median cumulative incremental lifetime cancer risk of male smokers could vary from 828 × 10−6 to 2510 × 10−6, and that of female smokers could range from 440 × 10−6 to 1300 × 10−6, depending on the smoking regimens. The median hazard index as the sum of hazard quotients of male smokers varied from 367 to 1,225, and that of female smokers varied from 289 to 970, depending on the smoking regimens. The sensitivity analysis for this risk assessment indicated that the constituent yields in mainstream cigarette smoke, average number of cigarettes smoked per day or year, and mouth-spill rate are the main risk factors. Statistical positive correlations between the average daily dose calculated by the exposure algorithm used in this study for individual smokers and biomarkers verified the reliability of this assessment. It could be concluded that inhalation of the constituents present in the mainstream of low-yield cigarettes has significant cancer and non-cancer health risks, although its effect on risk reduction is still unknown under the fixed machine-smoking conditions.

Influence of measurement uncertainty on the world health organization recommended regulation for mainstream cigarette smoke constituents

The World Health Organization Study Group on Tobacco Product Regulation (WHO TobReg) proposed mandated ceilings on 9 prioritized mainstream cigarette smoke constituents determined from the market-specific median of nicotine-normalized yield distributions. Considering the requirements for assessing and reporting of compliance with ceilings, it is of great importance to estimate the measurement uncertainty. To have a better understanding of influence of measurement uncertainty on the WHO recommended regulation for cigarette smoke constituents, in the present study, the measurement uncertainties were evaluated systematically based on series of collaborative studies reported by three different authorities over the years from 2012 to 2016, according to the approaches guided in ISO/TS 21748. Furthermore, the compliance assessment of 20 representative cigarette samples with proposed ceilings was conducted by taking measurement uncertainty into account. This work demonstrated that measurement uncertainty had great influence on the implementation of the regulated mandated lowering of toxic smoke constituents, both on the setting of ceilings and the compliance assessment as well.

The use of charcoal in modified cigarette filters for mainstream smoke carbonyl reduction

Carbonyls are harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) in mainstream cigarette smoke (MSS). Carbonyls, including formaldehyde and acrolein, are carcinogenic or mutagenic in a dose-dependent manner. Past studies demonstrate significant reduction of HPHCs by charcoal filtration. However, limits of charcoal filtration and cigarette design have not yet been investigated in a systematic manner. Objective data is needed concerning the feasibility of HPHC reduction in combustible filtered cigarettes. This systematic study evaluates the effect of charcoal filtration on carbonyl reduction in MSS. We modified filters of ten popular cigarette products with predetermined quantities (100–400 mg) of charcoal in a plug-space-plug configuration. MSS carbonyls, as well as total particulate matter, tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide (TNCO), and draw resistance were quantified. Significant carbonyl reductions were observed across all cigarette products as charcoal loading increased. At the highest charcoal loadings, carbonyls were reduced by nearly 99%. Tar and nicotine decreased modestly (<20%) compared to reductions in carbonyls. Increased draw resistance was significant at only the highest charcoal loadings. This work addresses information gaps in the science base that can inform the evaluation of charcoal filtration as an available technological adaptation to cigarette design which reduces levels of carbonyls in MSS.

Acrolein Yields in Mainstream Smoke From Commercial Cigarette and Little Cigar Tobacco Products

Many carbonyls are produced from the combustion of tobacco products and many of these carbonyls are harmful or potentially harmful constituents of mainstream cigarette smoke. One carbonyl of particular interest is acrolein, which is formed from the incomplete combustion of organic matter and the most significant contributor to non-cancer respiratory effects from cigarette smoke. Sheet-wrapped cigars, also known as "little cigars," are a type of tobacco products that have not been extensively investigated in literature. This study uses standard cigarette testing protocols to determine the acrolein yields from sheet-wrapped cigars. Sheet-wrapped cigar and cigarette products were tested by derivatizing the mainstream smoke with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) solution and then quantifying the derivatives using conventional analytical systems. The results demonstrate that sheet-wrapped cigars can be tested for acrolein yields in mainstream smoke using the same methods used for the evaluation of cigarettes. The variability in the sheet-wrapped cigars and cigarettes under the International Organization for Standardization smoking regimen is statistically similar at the 95% confidence interval; however, increased variability is observed for sheet-wrapped cigar products under the Health Canada Intense (CI) smoking regimen. The amount of acrolein released by smoking sheet-wrapped cigars can be measured using standard smoking regimen currently used for cigarettes. The sheet-wrapped cigars were determined to yield similar quantity of acrolein from commercial cigarette products using two standard smoking regimens. This article reports on the measured quantity of acrolein from 15 commercial sheet-wrapped cigars using a validated standard smoking test method that derivatizes acrolein in the mainstream smoke with DNPH solution, and uses Liquid Chromatography/Ultra-Violet Detection (LC/UV) for separation and detection. These acrolein yields were similar to the levels found in the smoke from 35 commercial cigarette products measured in the same manner. Although sheet-wrapped cigar data were slightly more variable than those found for the cigarette data, this article reports that the production of acrolein is similar to cigarettes. The results demonstrate that sheet-wrapped cigars can be tested for acrolein yields in mainstream smoke using the same methods used for the evaluation of cigarettes.

Chemical Characterization of Mainstream Smoke from SPECTRUM Variable Nicotine Research Cigarettes.

Our objective was to characterize mainstream smoke constituent deliveries from SPECTRUM variable nicotine research cigarettes under 2 machine smoking regimens. SPECTRUM cigarettes are manufactured by the 22nd Century company for the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health to contain varying (including reduced) levels of nicotine. Mainstream smoke constituent deliveries of "tar," nicotine, carbon monoxide, tobacco-specific nitrosamines (N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)), benzo[a]pyrene, aromatic amines, and carbonyls were analyzed in 23 varieties of SPECTRUM cigarettes using ISO 17025 accredited methods. Data are presented as means and standard deviations of 5 replicates for all analytes. Under the ISO smoking regimen, mean levels of many smoke emissions for SPECTRUM varieties were comparable to the 3R4F research cigarette. Calculated SPECTRUM elasticity ranged from 1.6 to 4.0. Accordingly, under intense machine smoking conditions differences in emissions of SPECTRUM cigarettes were apparent. In addition, NNN increased with smoke nicotine while the same rate of change was not seen for NNK. It is important to monitor levels of chemicals of public health concern and regulatory interest as technologies emerge to reduce levels of nicotine or other targeted chemicals in tobacco products.

Electron Microscopic Analysis of Silicate and Calcium Particles in Cigarette Smoke Tar.

Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) supplies information that is complementary to those data traditionally obtained using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for analysis of inorganic tobacco and tobacco smoke constituents. The SEM-EDS approach was used to identify select inorganic constituents of mainstream cigarette smoke "tar." The nature of SEM-EDS instrumentation makes it an ideal choice for microstructural analyses as it provides information relevant to inorganic constituents that could result from exposure to combusted tobacco products. Our analyses show that aluminum silicates, silica, and calcium compounds were common constituents of cigarette mainstream smoke "tar." Identifying inorganic tobacco smoke constituents is important because inhalation of fine inorganic particles could lead to inflammatory responses in the lung and systemic inflammatory responses. As cigarette smoking causes chronic inflammation in the respiratory tract, information on inorganic particulate in mainstream smoke informs efforts to determine causative agents associated with increased morbidity and mortality from tobacco use.

In Situ Derivatization and Quantification of Seven Carbonyls in Cigarette Mainstream Smoke.

Carbonyls, especially aldehydes, are a group of harmful volatile organic compounds that are found in tobacco smoke. Seven carbonyls are listed on the FDA's harmful and potential harmful constituents list for tobacco or tobacco smoke. Carbonyls have reactive functional groups and thus are challenging to quantitatively measure in cigarette smoke. The traditional method of measuring carbonyls in smoke involves solvent-filled impinger trapping and derivatization. This procedure is labor-intensive and generates significant volumes of hazardous waste. We have developed a new method to efficiently derivatize and trap carbonyls from mainstream smoke in situ on Cambridge filter pads. The derivatized carbonyls are extracted from the pads and subsequently quantified by ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The new method has been validated and applied to research and commercial cigarettes. Carbonyl yields from research cigarettes are comparable to those from other published literature data. With a convenient smoke collection apparatus, a 4 min sample analysis time, and a low- or submicrogram detection limit, this new method not only simplifies and speeds the detection of an important class of chemical constituents in mainstream smoke but also reduces reactive losses and provides a more accurate assessment of carbonyl levels in smoke. Excellent accuracy (average 98%) and precision (14% average relative standard deviation in research cigarettes) ensure this new method's sufficient fidelity to characterize conventional combusted tobacco products, with potential application toward new or emerging products.

Triple Quad-ICP-MS Measurement of Toxic Metals in Mainstream Cigarette Smoke from Spectrum Research Cigarettes.

We previously reported toxic metal concentrations in the mainstream smoke from 50 varieties of commercial cigarettes available in the USA using quadrupole inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). However, efforts to continue producing high quality data on select mainstream cigarette smoke constituents demand continued improvements in instrumentation and methodology and application of the methodology to cigarettes that differ in design or construction. Here we report a new application of 'triple quad'-ICP-MS instrumentation to analyze seven toxic metals in mainstream cigarette smoke from the Spectrum variable nicotine research cigarettes. The Spectrum cigarettes are available for research purposes in different configurations of low or conventional levels of nicotine, mentholated or nonmentholated, and tar delivery ranges described as 'low tar' or 'high tar'. Detailed characterizations of specific harmful or potentially harmful constituents delivered by these research cigarettes will help inform researchers using these cigarettes in exposure studies, cessation studies and studies related to nicotine addiction or compensation.

Considerations for comparative tobacco product assessments based on smoke constituent yields

Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of more than 8000 smoke constituents. The quantification of selected mainstream smoke constituent yields is one of the methods to evaluating and comparing the performance of different products. Numerous regulatory and scientific advisory bodies have used cigarette smoke constituent yield data for reporting and product comparison purposes. For more than a decade limitations of the indiscriminate application of traditional statistical methods such as the t-test for differences in comparative smoke constituent yield assessments lacking a specific study design, have been highlighted. In the present study, the variability of smoke constituent yields is demonstrated with data obtained under the ISO smoking regime for the Kentucky reference cigarette 3R4F and one commercial brand, analyzed on several occasions between 2007 and 2014. Specifically it is shown that statistically significant differences in the yields of selected smoke constituents do not readily translate to differences between products, and that tolerances need to be defined. To this end, two approaches have been proposed in the literature – minimal detectable differences, and the statistical equivalence. It is illustrated how both approaches provide more meaningful comparison outcomes than the statistical t-test for differences. The present study provides considerations relevant for comparative tobacco product assessments both in the scientific and regulatory contexts.

Validation of Part-Filter Analysis to Estimate Smokers' Mouth Level Exposure to ‘Tar’ and Nicotine

SUMMARY Part-filter analysis is a method used to assess mouth level exposure (MLE) of cigarette smokers to mainstream smoke constituents. We assessed the robustness of part-filter analysis to compare MLE to nicotine and ‘tar’ between smoker populations and during calibration. Three groups of subjects smoked two batches of the same brand of 1-mg ISO tar yield Hungarian cigarettes three times each. Eighteen calibration curves were produced with three operators using three smoking machines. Within each batch of cigarettes, MLE did not differ significantly between the three smoker groups or after repeated smoking within groups. MLE was marginally higher for cigarettes from Batch 1 than Batch 2. No significant differences were found between the slopes and intercepts of the calibration curves produced using different smoking machines and operators. Part-filter analysis offers a repeatable means of estimating smokers' ‘tar’ and nicotine MLE in large-scale studies in their everyday smoking environments.

Measurement of Hazardous Chemical Constituents and Mutagenic Activity in Fillers and Mainstream Smoke from Neo Cedar

To determine constituents of fillers and mainstream smoke from Neo Cedar. Neo Cedar is a second-class over-the-counter (OTC) drug and similar to cigarettes in a number of ways. In particular, the design and usage are very similar to those of cigarettes. For the fillers of the drug, the levels of nicotine, tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA), and heavy metals, and mutagenicity were determined using the methods for cigarette products. For the mainstream smoke, the levels of tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide (CO), TSNA, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and carbonyl compounds were also determined using the methods for cigarettes. The mainstream smoke from the drug were collected with a smoking machine using two smoking protocols (ISO and Health Canada Intense methods). The nicotine and total TSNA levels in the fillers of the drug averaged 2.86 mg/g and 185 ng/g, respectively. The nine species of heavy metals were also detected in the fillers of the drug. The levels of nicotine, tar, CO, TSNA, PAH, and carbonyl compounds of mainstream smoke from the drug were higher when determined using the HCI regime than when using the ISO regime. The mutagenicity of the mainstream smoke determined using the HCI regime was also higher than that determined using the ISO regime. In this study, all constituents of Neo Cedar were determined by methods for cigarette products. The drug had a ventilation hole on its filter. Thus, its constituents are different from those determined by the smoking protocols. Neo Cedar users should be careful of higher exposure to the hazardous gases owing to smoking patterns.

A comprehensive evaluation of the toxicology of experimental cigarettes manufactured with banded papers

Context: To comply with state requirements, cigarette manufacturers have added low-permeability bands to the cigarette paper. These bands can extinguish the cigarette when it is no longer being puffed by a smoker.Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the toxicology resulting from the addition of different types of bands to experimental cigarettes.Materials and methods: A battery of assays that are typically used in toxicology studies with cigarette smoke, namely smoke chemistry, in vitro mutagenicity and cytotoxicity, and inhalation studies with rats, were used to evaluate different band characteristics added to cigarette paper.Results: Although differences in the amount of band material was associated with an increase in some metals measured in mainstream tobacco smoke, it was not dose responsive to any band design parameter (base paper permeability, band width, band spacing, band chalk amount, or citrate). Occasional, minor differences were produced by the different types of bands; overall, there was no increased toxicity.Conclusion: Although there were increases and decreases in some mainstream smoke constituents, the in vitro and in vivo testing performed demonstrated that low-permeability bands on cigarettes do not modify the toxicity of smoke inhaled by smokers.

A comprehensive toxicological evaluation of three adhesives using experimental cigarettes

ABSTRACTContext: Adhesives are used in several different manufacturing operations in the production of cigarettes. The use of new, “high-speed-manufacture” adhesives (e.g. vinyl acetate based) could affect the smoke chemistry and toxicology of cigarettes, compared with older “low-speed-manufacture” adhesives (e.g. starch based).Objective: This study was conducted to determine whether the inclusion of different levels of three adhesives (ethylene vinyl acetate, polyvinyl acetate and starch) in experimental cigarettes results in different smoke chemistry and toxicological responses in in vitro and in vivo assays.Materials and methods: A battery of tests (analytical chemistry, in vitro and in vivo assays) was used to compare the chemistry and toxicology of smoke from experimental cigarettes made with different combinations of the three adhesives. Varying levels of the different side-seam adhesives, as well as the transfer of adhesives from packaging materials, were tested.Results: There were differences in some mainstream cigarette smoke constituents as a function of the level of adhesive added to experimental cigarettes and between the tested adhesives. None of these differences translated into statistically significant differences in the in vitro or in vivo assays.Conclusion: The use of newer “high-speed-manufacture” vinyl acetate-based adhesives in cigarettes does not produce toxicological profiles that prevent the adhesives from replacing the older “low-speed-manufacture” adhesives (such as starch).

A comprehensive evaluation of the toxicology of experimental, non-filtered cigarettes manufactured with different circumferences

Context: Historical work indicates that cigarette circumference may affect the toxicological profile of experimental cigarettes.Objective: Studies were conducted to examine the effect of different cigarette circumferences on (1) selected mainstream smoke constituents including concentrations of tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA) in smoke and (2) mutagenicity and cytotoxicity of cigarette smoke condensate.Materials and methods: Analytical chemistry, Salmonella mutagenicity and cytotoxicity assays were used to evaluate the composition and biological activity of mainstream smoke from experimental, non-filtered cigarettes manufactured with four different circumferences (17.0–27.1 mm).Results: Most smoke constituents, including TSNA, decreased with decreasing cigarette circumference; however, amounts of hydrogen cyanide increased in a non-circumference dependent manner. Mutagenicity and cytotoxicity also decreased slightly with decreasing cigarette circumference.Conclusion: Cigarette circumference may have a minor role in the toxicological profile of experimental cigarettes, with a so-far-unidentified mechanism.

Menthol Addition to Cigarettes Using Breakable Capsules in the Filter. Impact on the Mainstream Smoke Yields of the Health Canada List Constituents

Cigarettes with menthol capsules embedded in the filter have been introduced recently in many countries. At the same time, concerns have been expressed that filter performance could be affected by the crushing of the capsule therein, altering mainstream smoke constituent yields, ultimately with the potential to impact the toxicity of these products. The present study investigates the possible mechanisms underlying differences in smoke constituent deliveries following the crushing of a menthol capsule in a cigarette filter. It also includes results from a market survey of a selection of commercial cigarette brands with menthol capsules representing the different designs for this type of product available in different markets worldwide. The yields of 46 Health Canada smoke components were determined according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) machine-smoking regime. Data obtained from measurements using cigarettes with the capsule crushed and uncrushed were compared. Except for the intended presence of menthol flavors in smoke, no meaningful differences were identified in the yields of the remaining measured particulate-phase smoke constituents. Regarding the gas-phase smoke constituents, it was found that the delivery of lipophilic volatiles was reduced when the capsule was crushed. Delivery of the other measured gas-phase components remained unaffected. The results from investigations performed in this study did not show any meaningful increase in the yield of smoke constituents listed by Health Canada as a result of crushing the menthol capsule in the cigarette filter.

Preparation of phenyl group-functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica microspheres for fast extraction and analysis of acetaldehyde in mainstream cigarette smoke by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Acetaldehyde is regarded as a toxic mainstream cigarette smoke constituent, and measurement of acetaldehyde in complex real samples is difficult owing to its high volatility and reactivity. In this work, phenyl group-functionalized magnetic mesoporous microspheres were developed as the solid-phase extraction sorbents for enrichment and analysis of acetaldehyde in mainstream cigarette smoke. The functional magnetic microspheres were first synthesized through a facile one-pot co-condensation approach. The prepared nanomaterials possessed abundant silanol groups in the exterior surface and numerous phenyl groups in the interior pore-walls, as well as a large surface area (273.5m2/g), strong superparamagnetism and uniform mesopores (3.3nm). Acetaldehyde in mainstream cigarette smoke was collected in water and derivatizated with O-2,3,4,5,6-(pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine. The formed acetaldehyde oximes were extracted and enriched by the prepared adsorbents via π–π interactions and subsequently analyzed using GC–MS. Extraction conditions such as amounts of sorbents, eluting solvent, adsorption and desorption time were investigated and optimized to achieve the best efficiency. Method validations including linearity, recovery, repeatability, and limit of detection were also studied. It was found that the suggested methodology provided low detection limit of 0.04mg/mL, good recovery of 88–92%, intra-day and inter-day RSD values of 4.5% and 10.1%, and linear range of 0.25–4mg/mL (R2=0.999). The results indicated that the proposed method based on phenyl-functionalized magnetic mesoporous microspheres was rapid, efficient and convenient for the enrichment and analysis of acetaldehyde in tobacco.