Dioxin Levels in Mainstream Smoke from Cigarettes with Different TPM Deliveries

• Main Authors: Smith CJ, Sykes DC, Cantrell DW, Moldoveanu SC
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sciendo 2004-12-01
• Series: Beiträge zur Tabakforschung International
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2478/cttr-2013-0781

The presence of dioxin-like compounds, such as chlorinated dibenzodioxins, chlorinated dibenzofurans and chlorinated biphenyls, in mainstream cigarette smoke has been investigated for seven cigarette brands covering a range of ‘tar’ deliveries from 1 mg to 14 mg. Adjusted per milligram of total particulate matter (TPM), ultra-light cigarettes had the highest concentrations of toxic equivalents (TEQ) of 10 fg/mg TPM. As the ‘tar’ delivery increased, lower concentration values were found in lights and full-flavor cigarettes. Calculated on the basis of a pack of twenty cigarettes, mainstream smoke from the ultra-lights and lights products produced values around 200 fg TEQ, and the full-flavor brand produced 575 fg TEQ per pack. Levels of TEQ from dioxin-like compounds in the tobacco section of four cigarette brands did not show significant differences and were similar to previous literature findings.