[Determination of alkaloids in cigarettes by capillary zone electrophoresis]

The separation of cigarette alkaloids was reported and performed with tartaric acid buffer solution by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). A buffer solution of pH 2.8, 410 mmol/L tartaric acid was used as the running buffer for the determination of cigarette alkaloids in CZE. The detection sensitivity and resolution with the tartaric acid buffer solution were better than those with phosphate buffer. The sample extraction conditions, buffer electrolyte, pH and concentrations were investigated for the alkaloids separation and determination. The linear range, detection limits, reproducibilities and recoveries of the cigarette alkaloids were 0.06 - 0.80 mg/L for nicotine (0.006 - 0.10 mg/L for other alkaloids), 0.002 - 0.01 mg/L, 2.2% - 10% and 87.6% - 102%, respectively.