Suresh Ralapati, batf/National Laboratory Center

Method Scope. An extract of tobacco is prepared by distillation and nicotine is determined by spectrophotometry.
Sample Preparation. ATF regulated tobacco products are received into the laboratory, stored and physically prepared, prior to instrumental analysis of nicotine in the sample. Smoking and smokeless tobacco products are routinely provided by the Regulations Division and received by the Tobacco Laboratory at the ATF National Laboratory Center. These tobacco products are stored in a cold room (4^oC) until they are analyzed.

Filler tobacco is separated from the wrappers when working with cigars, cigarettes, beedies and cheroots. In addition, cigars, beedies and cheroots are analyzed for their wrappers as well, in keeping with the ATF regulatory requirements for their subsequent classification. Pipe tobacco analysis requires some comminution in order to obtain a working sample size. Chewing tobacco, as a plug or loose leaf in a pouch, also requires comminution to obtain a working sample size. Snuff, both it its dry and moist form, is used as received.

Samples of tobacco products are used as is or ground depending on the type of tobacco product being analyzed. Cigar filler tobacco, cigarette filler tobacco, cigar wrapper tobacco are ground in a Wiley Mill equipped with a 20-mesh screen. Beedi filler tobacco and cheroot filler tobacco are used as is. Beedi wrapper and cheroot wrapper are cut into small pieces and used as is. Pipe tobacco (large pieces of tobacco are usually cut into small pieces) and used as is. Chewing tobacco, as a plug or in a pouch, is cut into small pieces using a pair of scissors or a razor blade and used as is. Snuff, in its moist or dry form, is used as is.

Nicotine in ATF regulated tobacco products is extracted for spectrophotometric analysis employing distillation techniques in the presence of an alkali-salt solution (87,88). ATF Procedure 73-5 describes the method in detail. Briefly, a sample of tobacco (100 mg of filler tobacco or 400 mg of wrapper material) is extracted using steam distillation in the presence of a saturated NaCl solution in 30% NaOH. After acidifying the distillate with HCl, nicotine in the acidified distillate is analyzed by UV spectrophotometry at 259 nm after correcting for the background absorbance.