In this paper, the release of nicotine from reconstituted tobacco, on which different amounts of glycerol and water were applied, was investigated at different temperatures. The thermal release behaviour of nicotine from reconstituted tobacco was verified by thermogravimetry-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The apparent activation energies of nicotine and glycerol released from reconstituted tobacco were calculated by classical physicochemical methods.

The release of nicotine from reconstituted tobacco below and above 180 °C was investigated to get insights into the mechanism of nicotine release.

It was found that the release of nicotine from reconstituted tobacco treated with glycerol became constant at heating temperatures above 180 °C. On the basis of the calculated results, the release path and mechanism of nicotine from reconstituted tobacco particles is postulated. The results showed that in heat-non-burn tobacco products, glycerol was not only a common aerosol forming agent, but could also promote the release of nicotine. The major reason for this finding is that glycerol and water in tobacco products would form a water-glycerol system and the bubbling point of this system is higher than that of pure water. In conclusion, nicotine mainly releases its non-protonated and monoprotonated species from reconstituted tobacco containing glycerol at a low temperature range, whilst nicotine releases its diprotonated species in reconstituted tobacco without glycerol at a high temperature range.