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Measurement of Trace Metals in Tobacco and Cigarette Ash by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy

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W. Wang and B. J. Finlayson-Pitts

Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697

J. Chem. Educ., 2003, 80 (1), p 83

DOI: 10.1021/ed080p83

Publication Date (Web): January 1, 2003

Section:

Toxicology

Abstract

The ICP–AES experiment reported here is suitable for use in a junior- or senior-level undergraduate instrumental analysis laboratory. The objective of this experiment is to analyze trace metals present in cigarette tobacco, the cigarette filter, and the ash obtained when the cigarette is burned. Two different brands of cigarettes, one with and one without a filter, were used. The filter was analyzed before and after smoke was drawn through it. The trace metals were extracted using concentrated nitric acid at room temperature and at 100 °C respectively, to test the extraction efficiency. Some tobacco samples were spiked with ZnCl₂ and FeCl₃ to assess the efficiency of the recovery. Zinc and iron are shown to be present in tobacco, filter, and ash, while chromium was above the detection limit only in the ash. These metals are concentrated in the ash compared to the tobacco by factors of 4 (Zn), 12–17 (Fe), and ≥ 2 (Cr). If sufficient laboratory time is available, this experiment could be paired with one using atomic absorption (AA) to demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of ICP when compared to AA.

Keywords (Audience):

Second-Year Undergraduate

Keywords (Domain):

Analytical Chemistry

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Hands-On Learning / Manipulatives

Keywords (Subject):

Instrumental Methods

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