Determination of trace metals, moisture, pH and assessment of potential toxicity of selected smokeless tobacco products

Abstract

The characterization and classification of smokeless tobacco products has been a continuously evolving process. This is based on a number of different parameters like nicotine content, moisture content, amount of heavy metals, pH, and in vitro cytotoxicity assays. Their contexts often vary between countries, research institutions, and legal requirements. The categorisation of these products is quite challenging due to the diffused sample sizes, diverse array of branded products on offer, and the absence of a centralized manufacturing facility. This study aims at a systematic classification of 10 smokeless tobacco product samples from the retail market based on their potential toxicity upon long-term use. The estimation of potential toxicity follows a well-established method that employs the concentration of toxic metals in the different samples. The potential toxicity as well as heavy metal concentrations of the smokeless tobacco products analysed was found to be much higher than acceptable limits. For instance, the levels of lead, cadmium, copper and zinc of 2.5, 1, 4 and 23 ppm, respectively, are well above their recommended limits. The results from the study indicate that chronic use of smokeless tobacco products is a significant health risk, especially in the vulnerable population. Further studies of this nature will help establish a toxicological fingerprint on the diverse class of products that floods the market now.

E-cigarette Marketing and Older Smokers: Road to Renormalization

“…E-cigarettes are devices that include a battery-powered heating element designed to heat and aerosolize liquids containing varying levels of nicotine, flavoring agents, a number of unknown components, and in some cases tobacco itself. 1 Aerosolized nicotine in e-cigarettes contains glycerine to mimic smoke of conventional cigarettes while supposedly delivering lower toxin levels than those found in a conventional cigarette. 2–5 Vaporizers (or vape-pens) are similar to e-cigarettes, but typically contain a larger battery with variable heat settings to heat a refillable tank with a wick for liquid nicotine or a compartment for vaporizing THC oil or even cannabis buds.…”

Characterisation of Nicotine and Cancer-Enhancing Anions in the Common Smokeless Tobacco Afzal in Oman

“…Substances such as slaked lime are often added to the tobacco blend during the curing process, thereby increasing the alkaline pH. 7 The Afzal samples in this study had a higher pH value (pH 10.46) than the value described in the quality standards used by GOTHIATEK ® (Swedish Match, Stockholm, Sweden)…”

“…7,19 Higher nicotine levels are found in moist snuff in comparison to the dry form. 1 Additionally, it has been found that American moist snuff contains higher levels of NO 2 -and Cl -than the dry type.…”

“…7 The absorption of nicotine is strongly associated with the pH and moisture content of the product. 8 The naturally occurring form of nicotine is the unprotonated form, which is easily absorbed by the oral mucus membranes into the blood stream and delivered directly to the brain.…”

Chemical and toxicological characteristics of conventional and low-TSNA moist snuff tobacco products

“…The CPF is based on the daily dose rate in mg/kg-bodyweight/day to induce tumors in half of test animals that would have remained tumor-free at zero dose. For the purposes of this study, it was arbitrarily assumed that 10 grams dry weight product per day was consumed by a 70 kg adult STPs user over a 30 year period during a 70-year lifetime (Ayo-Yusuf and Connolly, 2011; Prabhakar et al, 2013; Zakiullah et al, 2012). The equation used was: incremental lifetime cancer risk=ADE lifetime × CPF (where ADE lifetime =lifetime average daily oral exposure (mg/kg bodyweight/day) and CPF=carcinogenic potency factor ((mg/kg bodyweight/day) −1 )).…”