Cigarettes — Determination of alkaloids in the mainstream smoke with a smoking regime according to ISO 3308 (standard smoking regime) — Spectrometric method

This document specifies a method for the spectrometric determination of alkaloids in the total particulate matter (TPM) of the mainstream smoke with a smoking regime according to ISO 3308 (standard smoking regime). The smoking of cigarettes and the collection of TPM are carried out in accordance with IS0 4387. However, this method is also applicable to the determination of alkaloids in TPM obtained by nonstandard smoking.

NOTE 1 IS0 4387 specifies the use of gas chromatography for the determination of nicotine in TPM solutions (see also IS0 10315). In countries that are not in a position to use the gaschromatographic method, the determination of alkaloids in TPM should be performed by the method described in this document and an appropriate note made in the expression of results.

This. document determines total alkaloids, whereas IS0 10315 determines only nicotine by virtue of the gas-chromatographic separation. Occasionally, differences can occur because of minor amounts of alkaloids other than nicotine in some types of tobacco.