Investigation of Volatile Organic Compounds and Benzo[a]pyrene Contents in the Aerosols of Cigarettes and IQOS Tobacco Heating System Using High-Performance Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

The aim of the research was to compare the content of tobacco smoke obtained from five cigarette brands, 3R4F reference cigarette, and emission derived from IQOS tobacco heating system (Technical regulations of Customs Union Technical regulations for tobacco products (TP TC 035/2014) Accessed 5 August 2021). Constituents of the IQOS tobacco heating system stick aerosol, mainstream smoke of five commercial cigarettes, and 3R4F reference cigarette smoke were tested. The list of toxicants that are relevant to human health risks and appear on lists of priority toxicants in cigarette smoke was selected. Nicotine, carbon monoxide, 1,3-butadiene, benzene, and benzo[a]pyrene contents were measured using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry methods. Most of the analyzed compounds were detected in the IQOS mainstream aerosol at a significantly lower level than in smoke of the 3R4F reference cigarette and commercial cigarettes. The nicotine content decreased in IQOS mainstream aerosol by 33.7-40.3% compared to 3R4F reference cigarettes and by 42.7% compared to cigarette brands. The yields per puff were similar to the data published by the PMI tobacco company (Schaller et al. in Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 81:S27-S47, 11) and independent laboratories (Li et al. in Nicotine Tob Res 21:111-118, 12; Mallock et al. in Arch Toxicol 92: 2145, 13). Our results showed that the content of priority toxic compounds indicated in the WHO/FDA and Health Canada lists (carbon monoxide, 1,3-butadiene, benzene, and benzo[a]pyrene) and nicotine was significantly lower in case of IQOS tobacco stick aerosol than in the smoke of the 3R4F reference and commercial cigarettes. So our study represents one of the few independent studies on THS products showing similar data on aerosol emissions to those showed by the tobacco industry.

Automated summary

This research aimed to compare the content of harmful substances in tobacco smoke from IQOS tobacco heating system with traditional cigarettes, showing that the IQOS aerosol had significantly lower levels of priority toxic substances compared to smoke from traditional cigarettes.