Liquid membrane electrodes for the selective determination of nicotine in cigarette smoke

Five liquid membrane electrode systems responsive to the nicotinium cation are described. These electrodes are based on the use of the ion-association complexes of the nicotinium cation with tetraphenylborate, 5-nitrobarbiturate, flavianate, reineckate and picrolonate counter anions in nitrobenzene solvent as ion-exchange sites. The performance characteristics of these electrodes, evaluated according to IUPAC recommendations, reveal fast, stable and near-Nernstian responses for 10(-2)-10(-5) M nicotine over the pH range 3.5-7. Many inorganic and organic cations do not interfere. The direct potentiometric determination of 3 micrograms ml-1-1.6 mg ml-1 of nicotine in aqueous solutions showed an an average recovery of 99.5% and a mean standard deviation of 1.2%. The electrodes were also used for monitoring the titration of nicotine with sodium tetraphenylborate, measuring the pK of nicotine and determining nicotine in the smoke from different cigarettes. The results compare favourably with those obtained by the standard gas chromatographic method.