Detection of a carcinogen, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), in cigarette smoke condensate.

A carcinogenic heterocyclic amine, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), was measured in condensate of cigarette mainstream smoke by HPLC. PhIP was detected in all brands of filter-tipped cigarettes analyzed. The mean level of PhIP in the cigarette mainstream smoke was 16.4 ng/cig.