Cigarette Smoke Composition. Part 1. Limitations of FTC Method When Applied to Cigarettes That Heat Instead of Burn Tobacco

Abstract

The design of a new cigarette that heats rather than burns tobacco calls for modifications to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) method for analytical smoking. These changes Include eliminating sample conditioning at 75 °F and 60% RH, exercising greater care In lighting cigarettes, and smoking cigarettes to self-extinguishment rather than to a predetermined butt length as a measure of complete consumption. By several gross analytical measures, smoke condensate from the new cigarette differs substantially from that of tobacco-burning cigarettes. This Is Inferred from the lack of coloration of smoke condensate collected on Cambridge filters. Elemental analysis demonstrates reduced carbon and nitrogen content concurrent with Increased hydrogen. Thermogravlmetrlc analysis shows almost quantitative weight loss at Tmax = 220 °C. Ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometrlc analysis shows greatly reduced levels of tobacco-derived smoke components and qualitative differences In chemical entitles being measured. By design, the heat required for smoke formation Is supplied by a carbon heat source embedded In the cigarette tip. Tobacco contained In the cigarette Is not burned and Is exposed to temperatures less than 300 °C. Thus, It Is apparent (1) that smoke from the new cigarette contains little or no "tar" as tar Is classically defined, and (2) that the FTC method even as modified to account for cigarette design differences Is appropriate only for determination of nicotine and carbon monoxide yielded from this cigarette.

The Less Harmful Cigarette: A Controversial Issue. A Tribute to Ernst L. Wynder

“…Under standardized smoking conditions (52), Premier delivered a MS with low levels of most of the toxic and genotoxic agents compared to concentrations of these agents in the MS of the University of Kentucky reference filter cigarette. Short-term bioassays indicated that the MS of Premier most likely exhibits reduced toxic and genotoxic activities (125)(126)(127)(128)(129). In 1988, Premier was placed on a test market; however, it was not accepted by the consumers.…”

“…The tar consists of 33% water, 47% glycerol, and 17% of various other compounds. The emissions of the major smoke carcinogens, such as BaP, 2-naphthylamine, 4-aminobiphenyl, and the TSNA, are lowered by 85-95% (126)(127)(128)(129). The particulate matter of the aerosol generated by smoking Eclipse, according to the FTC standard method, contains as major a constituent about 47% glycerol (in the low-yielding Eclipse this means 2.4 mg glycerol in 5.1 mg smoke particulates) (129).…”

“…The industry has initiated research toward developing new types of cigarettes, During smoking, such cigarettes were to generate an aerosol with nicotine in the range present in the smoke of conventional filter cigarettes, but low to very low emissions of tar and of toxic and carcinogenic agents. In 1988, the first new type of cigarettes appearing on the test market was called “Premier”, a cigarette that “heats rather than burns tobacco” ( − ). This 80-mm cigarette is comprised of three sections.…”