Toxic and tumorigenic agents in tobacco smoke: analytical methods and modes of origin

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1974 · Trace Subst. Environ. Health; (United States)

OSTI ID:5873711

Schmeltz, I; Hoffmann, D; Wynder, E L

Cigarette smoke contains at least 1200 different compounds, many of which, although present in trace amounts, have been shown to exhibit pathophysiological effects on various tissues and organ systems. In addition to the alkaloid nicotine, the toxicity of which is well known and the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzo(a)pyrene, the carcinogenicity of which is well documented, cigarette smoke contains N-nitrosamines, arylamines and hydrazine which are also carcinogenic and a number of toxic gases including carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, oxides of nitrogen and others. Moreover, the weakly acidic fraction of tobacco smoke has been shown to have tumor promoting activity. Methods for determining many of the above compounds, utilizing isotope dilution techniques, have been developed in our laboratories and have been in use for several years. Most recently, we have been investigating the presence of the herbicide maleic hydrazide and its possible degradation product hydrazine in tobacco and its smoke. The analysis of the latter compound was expedited by using a trapping agent, pentafluorobenzaldehyde, and determining hydrazine as decafluorobenzaldehyde azine (DFBA) by electron capture gas chromatography. Hydrazine was thus shown for the first time to be present in cigarette smoke in concentration levels ranging 23-43 ng per cigarette. Pyrolysis experiments which have been used traditionally to determine possible precursors of various smoke components, especially the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols, were utilized to determine how hydrazine arises in the smoke. Levels of hydrazine produced by exposing maleic hydrazide, glycine and other substances to temperatures of 800/sup 0/C and lower were determined. The effect of varying the exposure temperature was noted.

• Research Organization: American Health Foundation, New York, NY
• OSTI ID: 5873711
• Report Number(s): CONF-740696-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Trace Subst. Environ. Health; (United States) Journal Volume: 8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
AMINES
AROMATICS
BENZOPYRENE
CARCINOGENS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COLLOIDS
CONDENSED AROMATICS
DISPERSIONS
HYDRAZINE
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MEASURING METHODS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROSAMINES
NITROSO COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENOL
PHENOLS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
RESIDUES
SMOKES
SOLS
TOBACCO PRODUCTS
TOBACCO SMOKES
TOXIC MATERIALS
TOXICITY