Determination of Nicotine in Different Brands of Cigarettes Using High –Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

Nicotine a naturally occurring alkaloid is a member of the Solanaceae family. The major alkaloid in tobacco is nicotine, accounting for about 95 % of the total alkaloid contents. Nicotine is a tertiary amine composed of pyridine and a pyrrolidine Ring (1-methyl 2 – (3-pyridyl) pyrrolidine). Nicotine is the major tobacco alkaloid and the most pharmacologically active. Nicotine is highly toxic, carcinogenic, and powerful insecticide. The aim of this study was to determine the amount of nicotine in different brands of cigarettes that are available in Khartoum local market (local and imported). All samples were analyzed using simple isocratic reverse-phase high–performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The Calibration curve was constructed to assess the linearity of the working range from 2 to 10µg/ml.One gram weight from each sample was treated with methanol and hydrochloric acid to extract the nicotine from it and filtered through Buchner funnel. Each extract was diluted with methanol and injected into the HPLC. The results obtained from analysis of all brands of cigarettes, local and imported, showed that the highest concentration of nicotine is in Benson cigarettes 34.32 mg/g, and the lowest concentration of nicotine is in Bon cigarettes 19.82 mg/g. The results of nicotine concentration in local cigarettes brand showed that the Winner cigarette has the highest concentration 32.28mg/g; the lowest concentration was in lord cigarette 23.32 mg/g. The results of the nicotine concentration in imported cigarettes brand Benson cigarette was the highest 34.32mg/g; the lowest concentration was in the Bon cigarette 19.82 mg/g. The Nicotine content of all tested cigarettes (imported and local brands) was higher than the international standard and the Sudanese national standard which is 1.2mg. The study recommended determination of the concentration of nicotine in other sources like snuff and narghile and in human blood. It is also recommended to use other techniques such as ultraviolet, because it is cheaper than HPLC.