Overview
ISO 21160:2018 specifies a validated analytical method for the determination of selected carbonyls in the mainstream smoke of cigarettes. The method measures formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, acrolein, propionaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, 2‑butanone and n‑butyraldehyde as their 2,4‑dinitrophenylhydrazone (DNPH) derivatives using reversed‑phase HPLC with UV or diode‑array detection (HPLC‑UV/DAD). It applies to cigarettes with nicotine‑free dry particulate matter (NFDPM) yields between 1 mg/cigarette and 15 mg/cigarette and includes procedures for smoke collection, derivatization, chromatographic separation, calibration and quantification.
Key Topics
- Analytes covered: formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, acrolein, propionaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, 2‑butanone, n‑butyraldehyde (as DNPH derivatives).
- Sampling and smoke generation: mainstream smoke collected on impingers fitted to a standard smoking machine operating under ISO 3308 conditions (no CFP pad in the trap line).
- Derivatization and trapping: carbonyls are trapped in an acidified DNPH solution (acetonitrile:water) to form stable hydrazones for HPLC analysis.
- Instrumentation: reversed‑phase HPLC‑UV/DAD; typical column specified is 250 mm × 4 mm, RP‑18e, 5 µm with a guard column; mobile phase and solvent grades (acetonitrile, water, acids) are specified.
- Quality control: preparation of calibration standards, syringe filtration, autosampler use, and detailed calculation procedures (calibration curves, sample quantification).
- Performance data: method repeatability and reproducibility reported from collaborative studies, supporting robustness for inter‑laboratory use.
- Safety and limitations: addresses hazardous reagents and cautions that machine‑smoking results are not direct measures of human exposure or risk.
Applications
- Analytical and regulatory laboratories measuring carbonyl emissions from cigarettes for product characterization, comparative testing and compliance.
- Tobacco product R&D and quality control teams requiring standardized, reproducible carbonyl quantification.
- Research groups studying smoke chemistry, exposure proxies and emission reduction technologies.
- Input for product hazard assessment and benchmarking (with the caveat that machine emissions are not equivalent to human exposure).
Who will use it: analytical chemists, lab managers, regulatory agencies, tobacco manufacturers, and research institutions focused on mainstream smoke analytes and HPLC methodologies.
Related Standards
- ISO 3308 - Routine analytical cigarette‑smoking machine (smoking regime and definitions)
- ISO 3402 - Conditioning and testing atmosphere for tobacco products
- ISO 4387 - Determination of total and nicotine‑free dry particulate matter (NFDPM)
- ISO 8243 - Cigarettes - Sampling
Keywords: ISO 21160:2018, carbonyls, DNPH, HPLC‑UV/DAD, mainstream smoke, cigarette emissions, NFDPM, reversed‑phase HPLC.