Overview
ISO 20773:2013 specifies a standardized laboratory method for measuring total particulate matter, nicotine, and nicotine‑free dry particulate matter (NFDPM, often called “tar”) in the sidestream smoke of cigarettes. The method uses a routine analytical linear smoking machine equipped with a fishtail chimney, and is defined using the ISO 3308 smoking parameters (puff volume, duration and frequency) and butt length, while remaining technically compatible with other smoking regimes.
Keywords: ISO 20773:2013, sidestream smoke, nicotine-free dry particulate matter, NFDPM, nicotine determination, fishtail chimney, routine analytical linear smoking machine, ISO 3308, tobacco testing
Key technical topics and requirements
- Scope and definitions: Covers sidestream smoke (smoke evolving from the lit end), not environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).
- Apparatus: Use of a linear smoking machine, fishtail chimney, sidestream smoke filter pads, impinger trap and associated extraction equipment.
- Sampling & conditioning: Procedures for sampling cigarettes, marking butt length, conditioning test pieces and controlling atmospheric conditions (temperature, humidity).
- Smoking parameters: Specified using ISO 3308 standard conditions but adaptable to other regimes if documented.
- Collection & analysis: Procedures for collecting total particulate matter on filter pads and chimney walls, extracting residues, quantifying nicotine (referencing analytical methods such as ISO 10315 for GC determination), and calculating NFDPM by subtraction.
- Calculations & reporting: Detailed calculations for total sidestream particulate matter and nicotine; recommended test report content (sample details, test plan, results).
- Quality & precision: Guidance on repeatability and reproducibility; use of monitor test pieces (e.g., CORESTA monitor) to verify analytical stability.
- Safety note: The standard warns about hazardous materials and requires appropriate laboratory safety practices.
Practical applications and users
- Tobacco manufacturers - product characterization, quality control and internal R&D comparisons.
- Analytical testing laboratories - standardized sidestream smoke measurements for inter‑lab comparability.
- Regulatory bodies and public‑health researchers - generating comparable sidestream smoke yields for risk assessment, policy and surveillance.
- Standards bodies and method developers - benchmarking new protocols or validating alternative smoking regimes.
Related standards
- ISO 3308 - Routine analytical cigarette‑smoking machine (puffing parameters)
- ISO 4387 - Total and nicotine‑free dry particulate matter (mainstream smoke)
- ISO 10315 - Nicotine determination in smoke condensates (GC method)
- ISO 3402, ISO 6488, ISO 6565 - Conditioning, water content and draw resistance references
ISO 20773:2013 provides a reproducible, internationally recognized method for sidestream smoke NFDPM and nicotine measurement-essential for consistent tobacco smoke characterization across laboratories.