A fully automated method for the determination of nicotine alkaloids in tobacco or tobacco smoke condensate is described. Ground tobacco or tobacco smoke condensate can be analyzed directly using the steam distillation unit developed at our laboratory in combination with a solid prep sampler. The method is based on the isolation of the nicotine alkaloids from an alkaline suspension of tobacco or smoke condensate by steam distillation. The percentage of nicotine is derived spectrophotometrically from the difference in absorption at 259 nm between an acid solution and a neutral solution of nicotine alkaloids. Samples can be processed at a rate of 20 an hour.

(Full article published with kind permission from "Tobacco International")