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Tobacco Science & Technology, 2012, 1, p. 29-33., ISSN.1002-0861

Effects of moisture content in cut tobacco on deliveries of 7 harmful compounds in mainstream cigarette smoke

LIU Zhihua(1); YANG Song(2); WANG Kunmiao(1); HE Pei(1), LI Fan(2); CHEN Yongkuan(1); MIAO Mingming(1)
(1) Key Lab of Tobacco Chemistry of Yunnan, Yunnan Academy of Tobacco Science, Kunming 650106, P.R. China; (2) School of Pharmaceutical Science, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650031, P.R. China

To investigate the influence of moisture content in cut tobacco on the deliveries of 7 harmful compounds, including CO, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), HCN, NH3, phenol and crotonaldehyde, in mainstream cigarette smoke, 3 saturated salt solutions were used for preparing cigarette samples with different moisture contents. The total particulate matter (TPM) of cigarette smoke was collected and the deliveries of the mentioned compounds in mainstream cigarette smoke were determined. The physical parameters of cigarettes and the combustion temperature of solid phase were also detected. The results showed that: 1) with the increase of moisture content in cut tobacco, the contents of NH3, NNK and phenol in mainstream smoke decreased, the contents of CO and B[a]P increased while the contents of HCN and crotonaldehyde changed a little; 2) the moisture content in cut tobacco had no significant effect on the combustion temperature of solid phase, however it influenced the burning rate (combustion process), which affected the formation, transfer and delivery of smoke components.