The
Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 11 No 1 (2007): 8 – 16
CHARACTERISATION OF ALIPHATIC AND POLYCYCLIC
AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS IN ENVIRONMENTAL
TOBACCO SMOKES
Mohammad Fais Fadzil and Norhayati Mohd Tahir
Environmental
Research Group (ERG), Faculty of Science and Technology
Kolej Universiti
Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia (KUSTEM)
Mengabang
Telipot, 21030 Kuala Terengganu,
Terenggan
Abstract
A study
has been conducted
to investigate the
distribution of aliphatic
and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons in Environmental
Tobacco Smoke (ETS). ETS is the smoke that is present in the ambient air due to
smoking of tobacco. Types of cigarettes (C1R1 and C6R1) were chosen based on a
result of a simple survey carried out to determine the consumer’s choice of
cigarette brand. In analyzing the ETS, volunteers were asked to smoke each
brand of cigarette in a closed room and the ETS was then collected using the
High Volume Air Sampler fitted with a glass fiber filter. Smoke samples from
the glass fiber filter were then extracted using Ultrasonic Agitation and
fractionated into aliphatic and aromatic fraction using silica- alumina column.
Identification and quantification was done using
gas chromatography with flame
ionization detector. Results
indicated the presence
of n-alkanes in
ETS, ranging from C13 to
C36 with an
odd to even
carbon number predominance
with Carbon Preference Index (CPI)
values ranging from 3.34 to 4.90. Total identified resolved aliphatic hydrocarbons
(TIRAH) concentration found in ETS ranged from 590 µg m-3 to 591 µg
m-3 with the percentage of
plant wax n-alkanes ranging
from 61% to 64% of the TIRAH found in
ETS samples. In source apportionment, CPI >
1 and high percentage of plant wax n-alkanes has generally been
associated with the contribution of terrestrial plant source, thus this result
indicates that even after curing process and smoking of tobacco, the overall
signature of the source of n-alkanes is still preserved. Amount of PAHs
detected in all ETS samples ranged from 11.7 ng m-3 to 56.1 ng m-3.
Results also indicated the presence of medium to high molecular weight PAHs
with dominant presence of benzo[g,h,i]perylene compound. This result seems to
support the contention that smoking process involves a high temperature burning
with an oxygen deficient zone in the cigarette itself. Although the
concentrations were low, the carcinogenic and mutagenic PAHs were still present
in the respective ETS making the passive smokers vulnerable to diseases
resulted from exposure to PAHs.
Keywords: environmental
tobacco smokes, hydrocarbons, n-alkanes, PAHs, gas -chromatography
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