Method for the Rapid Determination of Acetic and Higher Acids in Cigarette Smoke

A method for the rapid determination of acetic and higher aliphatic acids in cigarette smoke is described. Cigarette smoke is collected on a Cambridge filter, which is followed by a carbon disulfide scrubber. The total particulate matter (TPM) on the Cambridge filter is dissolved in carbon disulfide, and the acids are then extracted from this solution into an aqueous sodium borate solution (pH 8). An aliquot of this extract is injected onto a gas chromatographic column containing Chromosorb 101 column packing. The determination of acetic acid requires the smoke of 5 cigarettes and is completed in 15 min (10 min for extraction and 5 min for chromatographic separation). The coefficient of variation of the method is 3.8 %. The determination of acetic through hexanoic acid requires the smoke of 20 cigarettes and is completed in 20 min. The amounts of acetic acid delivered from cigarettes of various types were determined. Commercial cellulose acetate filters removed a slightly higher percentage of acetic acid than dry TPM from the smoke of a domestic cigarette