The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: To provide the participants with an increased understanding of the role that nicotine bioavailability has on the addictive nature of tobacco products.

Introduction: Nicotine maintains tobacco addiction, the primary cause of tobacco related disease that claims millions of lives each year. The acid-base properties of nicotine play a key role in its chemical characteristics, as only the free-base form is volatile. Changes in nicotine delivery and rate of absorption due to changes in the ratio of protonated to free-base forms may affect addition potential.

The subjective term “impact” is used consistently by the tobacco industry when gauging the sensations in the mouth and throat that smokers report during inhalation of some tobacco smoke and has been viewed as an important characteristic of a successful cigarette. The sensory “impact” associated with tobacco smoke has been associated with nicotine, particularly the fraction of nicotine that is present in the free-base form. As a result, it is vitally important to understand the factors that influence the ratio of free-base to protonated nicotine in mainstream smoke.

Methods: Smoke samples, generated using various smoking protocols and conditions, were collected using linear smoking machines. Gas and particle phase measurements were made for a variety of compounds including free and total nicotine.

Results: Various factors influence the delivery of free-base nicotine to mainstream tobacco smoke. Preliminary results indicate that chemical and physical characteristics of cigarette design such as filter ventilation can influence the ratio of free-base to total nicotine. Other parameters are also under consideration.