Screening evaluation of the quality of commercially available cigars, cigarillos, and bidis based on emission levels of selected terpenes and terpenoids.

[Display omitted] • The investigation of terpenes and terpenoids emissions from tobacco products was performed. • Tobacco products from Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Mexico, Cuba, and India were analyzed. • Applied solventless analytical procedure allows to screening assessment of the quality of tobacco products. • The assessed values of nicotine emissions were from 0.079 to 10.3 µg·g−1 (at 60 °C) and from 14.1 to 276 µg·g−1 (at 120 °C) • The total volatile organic compounds emissions were from 0.58 to 28 µg·g−1 (at 60 °C) and from 26 to 430 µg·g−1 (at 120 °C). The aim of the research was to verify the use of the solvent-free, non-destructive and easy to operate analytical method to study and compare the emissions of 16 representatives of terpenes and terpenoids from commercially available cigars, cigarillos and bidis − a potential screening analysis for the quality of combustible tobacco products. To assess the amount of organic compounds emitted to the gaseous phase from investigated tobacco samples, the stationary emission chambers system (at the sample conditioning stage) and gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (at the final analyte determination stage) were used. Studied samples represented five origins: the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Mexico, Cuba, and India and two manufacture approaches: machine-made and handmade. The assessed values of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) was from 0.58 to 28 µg·g−1 (at 60 °C) and from 26 to 430 µg·g−1 (at 120 °C). For Dominican products, Camphene and α-Cedrene were characterized by the highest emission level (233 ± 34 ng·g−1 and (3.7 ± 1.4) × 102 ng·g−1, respectively). In a case of Mexican and Cuban products it was noticed that the emission level of determined terpenes and terpenoids is higher in the case of hand-rolled tobacco products than mechanically manufactured ones. In a case of Nicaraguan hand-rolled products, Camphene, L-(−)-Fenchone, and α-Cedrene were characterized by the highest emission rate at 120 °C (213 ± 81 ng·g−1, 191 ± 45 ng·g−1 and 213 ± 84 ng·g−1, respectively). The highest emission level for Indian products in 120 °C was observed for α-Cedrene and Geranyl Acetate – respectively 181.6 ± 4.4 ng·g−1 and 101 ± 13 ng·g−1. The results of this study may indicate that sometimes cheaper products such as cigarillo have an emission profile that classifies them between expensive products such as "large cigars." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]