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Cholesterol-4-14C and b-sitosterol-4-14C were incorporated into cigarettes and their presence in mainstream smoke was studied. The transfer of 14C-labelled cholesterol to mainstream smoke was 20.27 %, of which 16.25 % was in trapped smoke condensates and 4.02 % in butts; only 0.004 % was in ashes. The transfer of 14C-labelled b-sitosterol to mainstream smoke was 16.20 %, of which 13.11 % was in trapped smoke condensates and 3.09 % in butts; only 0.007 % was in ashes. The relative composition of free sterols, steryl esters, and bound glycosides in cigarette tobacco and in trapped smoke condensates was also studied. Fractions of free sterols and steryl glycosides were higher while fraction of esters was lower in trapped smoke condensates as compared to cigarette tobacco. Comparison of four individual sterols (cholesteroI, campesterol, stigmasterol and b-sitosterol) was studied in cigarette tobacco and cigarette smoke (smoke condensates, butts, wrapping papers from butts). A slight increase of cholesterol was noted in smoke condensates and wrapping papers from butts.

There have been various references in the literature to the levels of trace metals in natural products (1., z, 3). There have also been references to the level of cadmium found in tobacco smoke (4). We have, in the past, accepted the published data of other workers in this field (5, 6) but recently we have made our own evaluation of the level of cadmiwn, nickel and lead in tobacco and cigarette smoke. The work described in this paper had two objectives: firstly to determine, using re

During the last three and a half years remarkable progress has been made in tobacco and tobacco smoke research. The fact that tobacco and smoke constituents of interest generally occur in extremely low concentrations necessarily led to the development of sophisticated analytical methods which were found to be of general interest in microanalysis. The composition of the gaseous phase of tobacco smoke is by now well known owing to studies using a combination of high resolution gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. A great many compounds were identified for the first time in tobacco or tobacco smoke by means of analytical procedures newly developed or adapted from other research fields. Terms concerning the distribution of the total smoke to the different smoke streams have been defined, and the possibilities of selective retention of smoke components have been examined. The distribution of water consisting of tobacco moisture and of combustion water among the different smoke streams and other transportation phenomena in the burning process of a cigarette have been studied. Particle size distribution, the determination of the air permeability of cigarette paper, and the mechanical properties of tobacco have been investigated by means of physical measuring procedures.

A method for routine determination of the pH in tobacco smoke is described which is to be preferred to the measurement by indicator paper as it is more exact and reproducible, and furthermore, it can be used at the same time for determining the buffering capacity of the smoke. The dependence of the results on various influences is discussed