The Detection of Nitro Pesticides in Mainstream and Sidestream Cigarette Smoke Using Electron Monochromator-Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Over the past decade, electron monochromator-mass spectrometry (EM-MS) has been shown to be a selective and sensitive technique for the analysis of a wide variety of electrophilic compounds in complex matrixes. Here, for the first time, three different dinitroaniline pesticides, flumetralin, pendimethalin, and trifluralin, have been shown to be present in both mainstream and sidestream tobacco smoke using an EM-MS system. A number of cigarettes were tested that included three pure-tobacco-type cigarettes, an experimental reference cigarette, and 11 commercial cigarettes. Due to the complexity of the smoke particulate matter, the pesticides were identified only after each sample was subjected to a multistep cleanup process that included phenyl solid-phase extraction; an acid wash; aminopropyl solid-phase extraction; and finally, normal phase LC fractionation. All cigarette types tested showed the presence of the three pesticides in the tobacco smoke, with flumetralin ranging from trace levels up to 37 (+/- 9) ng/cig, pendimethalin ranging from trace levels up to 10.4 (+/- 0.6) ng/cig, and trifluralin ranging from trace levels up to 47 (+/- 17) ng/cig. Acute toxicity information is presented for the three pesticides.

Acute Toxicity of Cigarette Butts Leachate on Nauplii of Artemia sp. / Toxicidade aguda do lixiviado de bitucas de cigarro sobre Náuplios de Artemia sp.

“…Brazilian Journal of Animal and Environmental Research, Curitiba, v.4, n.1, p. 659-670 jan./mar. 2021 Slaughter et al (2011) discussed the role of pesticides as a cause of leachates toxicity, corroborating a previous study from Dane et al (2006). Micevska et al (2006) campaigns targeting beach users and citizens in general, and beach clean-ups.…”

From Plant to Waste: The Long and Diverse Impact Chain Caused by Tobacco Smoking

“…Both types may be transferred through solution after leaching into the soil [3,4,42,43]. When these compounds are in the environment, they contaminate the soils, and can be carried by rainfall to aquatic environments, where they can be detected [1,13,43,44,45,46,47]. There are some reports about the effects of these compounds on aquatic biota, mainly concentrated in invertebrates and few fish species [3,43,44,48,49,50,51].…”

“…In the cigarette making process, dozens of substances (such as flavorings, solvents, preservatives, plasticizers, and other additives) are incorporated into the tobacco, the filters, and the enclosures [10,11]. The application of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides insert metals into the plant ( Nicotiana tabacum ), which are especially accumulated in the leaves [12,13,14]. According to Tso [15], the existence of metals in cigarettes can also be attributed to the tobacco growing process, given that the plant easily accumulates metals retrieved from the underlying soil.…”

Tobacco Product Waste: An Environmental Approach to Reduce Tobacco Consumption

“…For example, Dane et al [19] found 3 previously undetected pesticides (flumetralin, pendimethalin, and trifluralin) in both mainstream and side stream cigarette smoke. Cigarette filters are theoretically designed to absorb various constituents of cigarette smoke, including gaseous emissions and particulates, and, thus, if harmful chemicals in tobacco leaf are transferred to cigarette smoke, they could also be retained by cigarette filters and tobacco remnants in discarded butts.…”