Separation and quantitation of phenolic compounds in mainstream cigarette smoke by capillary gas chromatography with mass spectrometry in the selected-ion mode.

Cigarette smoke condensate is a complex chemical matrix and determination of phenolic compounds in it frequently requires extensive and laborious sample preparation. By utilizing derivatization techniques and capillary column gas chromatography with mass spectrometry in the selected-ion mode, separation and quantitation of selected phenolic compounds found in mainstream cigarette smoke can be accomplished with minimal sample preparation. This method has been used to determine concentrations of phenol, o-cresol, m-cresol, p-cresol, catechol, resorcinol and hydroquinone in cigarette smoke condensate from a number of commercially available cigarettes and a new cigarette which heats, but does not burn, tobacco. Unlike tobacco-burning cigarettes, levels of the phenolic compounds in the new cigarette smoke are at or below the detection limits for most of the compounds. This result is attributed to the unique design of the new cigarette.