Analysis of nicotine residue in cigarettes after smoking using UV-visible spectrophotometry

Abstract

Smoking cigarettes with a lot of accumulated nicotine can cause harm to the body. Smoking starts by setting the tip of the cigarette on fire to create smoke and using the suction force of the lungs to suck the cigarette smoke into the respiratory system. The cigarette begins its journey from the lit tip through the cigarette fibers inside the cigarette to the tip of the cigarette filter. The cigarette will continue to burn until some remains that the smoker may sometimes save it for further smoking. Leftover cigarettes that are stored are exposed to the smoke from the burnt cigarettes, which may cause nicotine to accumulate in the remaining cigarette fibers. This research study investigated the nicotine residue in cigarettes left after smoking by collecting samples from a position approximately 1 cm from the cigarette tip and analyzing them using UV-visible spectrophotometry. The study used both domestically produced cigarettes in Thailand and imported cigarettes, with research conducted at convenience stores. The results revealed that the imported cigarettes had the highest nicotine content, with a nicotine concentration of 21 ± 0.25 mg/g in the nicotine extract from the cigarettes left after smoking. The findings from this research are beneficial in guiding society and providing knowledge to raise awareness of the harmful effects of smoking, aiming to promote anti-smoking campaigns that will contribute to community development.