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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Determination of Inorganic Arsenic in a Wide Range of Food Matrices using Hydride Generation - Atomic Absorption Spectrometry.
Published on: September 1, 2017
Determination of trace elements in cigarette ash using neutron activation analysis
Martin Schulc1, Josef Stoklasa2, Antonín Krása3
1Research Centre Rez Ltd, 250 68 Husinec-Řež 130, Czech Republic.
Cigarette ash analysis reveals diverse essential and toxic elements, varying by country. While daily intake estimates were within limits, arsenic poses risks even at low concentrations.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Public Health
Background:
- Cigarette smoking is a global health concern.
- Cigarette ash composition can be influenced by tobacco origin and processing.
- Trace elements in ash may pose health risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze essential and toxic elements in cigarette ash from five countries.
- To estimate daily intake of toxic elements for smokers.
- To understand the influence of environmental and technological factors on element concentrations.
Main Methods:
- Neutron activation analysis of cigarette ash samples.
- Gamma-ray spectrometry for element detection and quantification.
- Estimation of daily element intake based on smoking habits.
Main Results:
- Identified up to 18 elements, including essential (Na, K, Ca, REEs) and toxic (As, Br, Sb, Ba) elements.
- Significant variability in elemental concentrations across samples from different countries.
- Estimated daily intake of toxic elements did not exceed recommended limits for a 20-cigarette/day smoker.
Conclusions:
- Cigarette ash acts as a reservoir for various trace elements.
- Tobacco origin and processing significantly impact elemental composition.
- Arsenic in cigarette ash is a health concern due to its toxicity even at low doses.
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