Overview
ISO 10362-1:2019 - Cigarettes - Determination of water in total particulate matter from the mainstream smoke - Part 1: Gas‑chromatographic method specifies a laboratory procedure for measuring water content in the total particulate matter (TPM) collected from cigarette mainstream smoke. The method is normally applied to TPM collected using machine smoking in accordance with ISO 4387, but it is also applicable to non‑standard smoking regimes. Where gas‑chromatographic analysis is not available, ISO 10362-2 (Karl Fischer method) is the alternative (with a note added to results).
Key topics and requirements
- Purpose: quantitative determination of water in TPM from mainstream smoke using gas chromatography (GC).
- Principle: dissolve TPM in an extraction solvent containing an internal standard; determine water by GC (thermal conductivity detector) and calculate water content for the TPM.
- Reagents and solvents: use analytical‑grade materials; extraction solution is propan-2-ol with internal standard (ethanol or methanol).
- Calibration: prepare at least four calibration solutions (including an extraction blank) covering expected water range (typically up to ~4 mg/ml); perform full calibration daily and check intermediate standards every 20 samples.
- Apparatus: gas‑chromatograph with thermal conductivity detector, recorder/integrator, appropriate column (Porapak Q recommended; 2–4 mm ID, 1.5–2 m length) and automated dispensing preferred.
- Typical GC conditions (example operating values provided in the standard):
- column temperature: 170 °C (isothermal)
- injection temperature: 250 °C
- detector temperature: 250 °C
- carrier gas: helium (alternative nitrogen or hydrogen in some procedures), flow ~30 ml/min
- injection volume: 2 µl
- Sample prep and handling: dissolve TPM collected on discs (20 ml for 44 mm discs; 50 ml for 92 mm discs), store 0–4 °C if necessary, and perform blank tests to account for ambient water uptake.
- Quality: includes guidance on repeatability and reproducibility, blank determination, and stability checks for extraction and calibration solutions.
Applications and users
- Who uses it:
- Tobacco analytical laboratories
- Product development teams at cigarette manufacturers
- Regulatory and compliance laboratories
- Academic and public‑health research groups studying smoke emissions
- Practical applications:
- Routine characterization of cigarette emissions for design, regulatory reporting and product comparison
- Input data for assessments of particulate composition
- Combined testing with nicotine analysis (see annex referencing ISO 10315)
Related standards
- ISO 4387 - collection of TPM by routine analytical smoking machine
- ISO 10362-2 - Karl Fischer method for water in TPM (alternative)
- ISO 10315 - nicotine determination (gas‑chromatographic)
- Other related: ISO 3308, ISO 3402, ISO 8243 (smoking and sampling protocols)
Keywords: ISO 10362-1:2019, gas-chromatographic method, water determination, total particulate matter, mainstream smoke, cigarettes, ISO 4387, Karl Fischer, tobacco analysis.
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