Gas-Chromatographic Determination of the Trimethylsilyl Derivatives of Polyhydric Alcohol Humectants in Tobacco and in Tobacco Smoke

A qualitative and quantitative procedure has been developed for the determination of humectants in manufactured tobacco by gas-chromatographic method with a flame ionization detector. It consists of extraction with methanol, concentration of the extract and treatment with Tri-Sil reagents. The operating gas-chromatographic conditions are set forth. Samples of tobacco containing glycerine, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 1-3 butylene glycol and sorbitol have been analysed with recoveries, for the first five ones, in the range of 95-104 %. In order to verify that each chromatographic peak corresponded to the relative glycol, with no interference by other silylated compounds, the mass spectra were obtained through the combination of gas-chromatography with mass spectrometry. The results achieved confirm, as far as tobacco is concerned, that the procedure is accurate and precise. The same method for the determination of humectants was extended to cigarette smoke. Even though this involves morecomplicated problems, as compared to tobacco, because of the presence of silylated compounds, it was found that, for certain glycols, the gas-chromatography of the trimethyl derivatives can be also used as a method of analysis. The mass spectra of some polyhydric alcohols are shown