Abstract
A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) in narghile smoke is presented. Combustions of 80 g of "maassel" and 20 cigarettes were first initiated by the use of 3 charcoal disks and secondly by an electrical heater in order to study the role of charcoal in the production of PAH in the smoke. PAHs present in the particle smoke were extracted with toluene. This toluene fraction was passed through a silica cartridge and evaporated. The result was analyzed by HPLC coupled with fluorescence detector. In narghile smoke from charcoal combustion, our results show the presence of seven PAHs: phenanthrene, antracene, fluoranthene, chrysene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, and benzo(k)fluoranthene, whereas in the narghile smoke from electrical heater only four of these PAHs were detected: phenanthrene, antracene, fluoranthene, and chrysene. Chloroform extractions of narghile smoke and cigarettes smoke from charcoal combustion were also performed in order to detect the presence of NNK. Chloroform samples were then passed through a cation exchange, and the final extracts were analyzed by HPLC using UV detectors. Although the NNK was present in cigarette smoke, this nitrosamine dropped to below detectable limit in narghile smoke.