LC-MS/MS Analysis of Sugars, Alditols, and Humectants in Smokeless Tobacco Products

Abstract

SummaryGlobally, smokeless tobacco (ST) includes a wide array of chemically diverse products generally used in the oral cavity. Although ST has been widely investigated, this study was undertaken to determine the levels of sugars (mono- and di-saccharides), alditols, and humectants present in major ST categories/subcategories by using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (HPLC-MS/MS). The products studied included chewing tobacco (loose leaf, plug, twist), US moist snuff, Swedish snus, creamy snuff, dry snuff, dissolvable tobacco products, and tobacco-coated toothpicks. The highest mean sugar level was detected in chewing tobacco (9.3–27.5%, w/w), followed by dissolvable tobacco (2.1%); all other products were lower than 1%. Creamy snuff had the highest mean alditol levels (22.6%), followed by dissolvable tobacco (15.4%); all others had levels lower than 1%. The detected mean humectant levels ranged from non-detectable to 5.9%. This study demonstrates the broad chemical diversity among ST. This research may aid researchers and public health advocates investigating the exposures and risks of ST. [Beitr. Tabakforsch. Int. 28 (2019) 203–213]

Trends in Analytical Methods for Analysis of Tobacco Products: An Overview

“…Posteriorly, PAHs and TSNAs were simultaneously analyzed in smoke using online GPC-GC-MS/MS (Luo et al 2016). Multiple component analysis of different tobacco products was also performed using LC-MS/MS, UHPLC-MS/MS and by direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) (Wang et al, 2017;Wang et al, 2019;Jiang, Dai, Li & Chen, 2019), with the advantage of reducing analysis time. The present study examined the main papers that developed or improved analytical methods for identification and quantification of priority compounds in different tobacco products, and can contribute to future research with this objective.…”

“…A recent and interesting approach is the simultaneous determination of different compounds, such as humectants and sugars, by the same procedure, which significantly reduces analysis time and sample preparation. For this purpose, LC-MS/MS, HPLC-RID and UPLC-MS/MS have been used (Lan, Zhong, Ci-Qing, Shuai & Xiao-Dong, 2006;Wang et al, 2017;Wang et al, 2019).…”

Research of saccharides and related biocomplexes: A review with recent techniques and applications

“…LC detection and quantitative measurements of targeted saccharides are done with ultraviolet (UV), evaporative light scattering detectors (ELSDs), charged aerosol detectors (CADs), refractive index detectors (RIDs), contactless conductivity detectors (CCD4), or laser‐induced fluorescence (LIF). The RI and UV detectors are mostly utilized for screening saccharide profiles [84–144].…”

“…The most saccharide research is done with LC (Table S1, [88–144]). The advantages of LC are the various separation modes with up‐to‐date technology of column sorbent materials and the easy coupling of LC with MS.…”