Gamma Radiation Effects on Cigarettes

Smoke from gamma irradiated 1R1 Reference cigarettes was compared to smoke from the non-irradiated cigarettes. Total particulate matter, nicotine, and tar levels decreased with increasing radiation dose. Nicotine was determined by gas chromatography, using 7-methyl- quinoline as an internal standard. Yields of solvent partition fractions of the smoke condensate and of chromatographic fractions of the condensate neutrals did not indicate significant changes in smoke composition resulting from gamma irradiation of the precursor cigarette tobacco. The composition of refined polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) fractions of smoke from irradiated cigarettes appeared to be identical to that of standard cigarettes. The expected decrease in PAH did not occur. It was concluded that gamma irradiation of cigarettes had no major effects on smoke composition.