The Generation of Water in the Tobacco Oven Volatile Test

An investigation into the standard oven volatile procedure has been completed. Results have been presented which support the conclusion that ≈ 0.5 % (tobacco dry weight basis) of the oven volatiles are generated via decomposition of tobacco constituents. The use of oxygen-18 labelled water for equilibrating tobacco has provided the probe necessary to differentiate between equilibrium moisture and water generated during the oven volatile test. Mass spectrometry was utilized to detect isotopically labelled tobacco constituents. Observations that 34 % of the acetic acid and a significant portion (> 50 %) of the reducing sugars exhibit oxygen-18 incorporation indicate the dynamic and interactive nature of the tobacco/ water system.