A method is described for the analysis of some poly-basic organic acids in tobacco. One sample is sufficient for the determination of total organic acidity, the qualitative identification of these acids by paper chromatography, and the quantitative determination of these individual acids by column partition chromatography. The purification of a commercial silica gel is described. In the quantitative analysis of the organic acids tert-butyl alcohol-chloroform mixtures are used for elution of the acids from the silica gel column. These eluates are made water-miscible by evaporation of the chloroform, permitting titrations to sharp end points with dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide. A fluorescence technique for locating organic acids on paper chromatograms has also been developed.

(Full article published with kind permission from "Tobacco International")