Aluminum in Tobacco Products Available in the United States

Abstract

A quantitative method for the analysis of aluminum in tobacco products was developed, validated and applied to select samples. Samples were prepared using standard microwave digestion of tobacco from various products. Detection and quantification utilized sector field inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Method applicability to analyze aluminum in a range of tobacco products was demonstrated with quantitative analyses of smokeless tobacco products, cigarette tobacco, little cigar tobacco and roll-your-own/pipe tobacco. Though these products represent a convenience sampling, we observed that smokeless tobacco products, as a category, had the lowest average aluminum concentrations. Roll-your-own or pipe tobacco and little cigar tobacco had higher median and ranges of aluminum concentrations than cigarette and smokeless tobacco samples.

Association of Cigarette Smoking With Male Cognitive Impairment and Metal Ions in Cerebrospinal Fluid

“…Chronic exposure of animals to aluminum is associated with evident deficits in learning and behavioral functions. Aluminum in tobacco can be inhaled via a number of ways, such as lung and oral epithelial tissues and accumulates in the brain over time ( 60 ). Aluminum is not essential for biological activities, and if accumulated in the brain, it induces amyloid β accumulation ( 61 ).…”

Response to ‘Comments on “Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines in the Tobacco and Mainstream Smoke of Commercial Little Cigars”’ Letter to Editor

“…14 Accordingly, Pappas et al 10 used 1S3, a moist snuff smokeless tobacco reference product, as quality control for determination of toxic metals in tobacco of 15 little cigars. Pappas et al 11 also used 1S3 and CRP2, a loose moist snuff, as reference products and data quality controls for analysis of aluminum in smokeless tobacco, little cigars, pipe and roll-your-own tobacco products, and cigarettes. Wu et al 12 used the 3R4F and two batches of four smokeless tobacco products in developing a test method used to compare TSNA levels in cigarette and cigar tobacco.…”

“…It allows traceability to a standard and harmonization and/or comparison of tobacco product testing over time. Cigarette reference products such as 3R4F tobacco filler and CRP2 or other smokeless tobacco reference products are accepted widely as reliable reference products and have been used numerous times to ensure accuracy of HPHC data from cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco products, and waterpipe tobaccos. − The National Cancer Institute Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph 9 states that chemical constituents in cigar and cigarette tobacco are “qualitatively comparable”, albeit at different concentrations due to differences in curing, processing, and agents added during processing of the tobacco . Accordingly, Pappas et al used 1S3, a moist snuff smokeless tobacco reference product, as quality control for determination of toxic metals in tobacco of 15 little cigars.…”

Unintended Consequences of Antismoking Pricing Policies: Insights from Smokers’ Household Expenditure on Smoking Behavior and Public Health

“…These beliefs, however, are unsupported. In contrast to factory-made cigarettes, RYO tobacco carries higher aluminum concentrations [17], and its non-nicotinic components contribute to addiction [18]. Furthermore, a recent study suggests that tobacco products, especially those perceived as less harmful than others, may inadvertently lead to a significant imitation effect.…”