DETERMINATION OF COPPER AND ZINC IN DIFFERENT BRANDS OF CIGARETTES IN JORDAN

 

Adnan Massadeh,^a,* Feras Alali,^a and Qasem Jaradat^b

^aDepartment of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid, Jordan,

E-mail: massadeh@just.edu.jo, Fax: 00962-2-7095019

^bChemistry department, Faculty of Science, Mutah University, Al-Karak, Jordan

 

Abstract

Copper and Zinc were determined in cigarettes of freshly opened packs. Cu and Zn concentrations in different cigarette brands sold and/or produced in Jordan were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). The accuracy and precision of the method were tested with standard reference materials BCR-CRM 280 (rye grass) and NIST-SRM 1570a (spinach leaf). Average levels of Cu and Zn in cigarettes analysed were 12.90 and 55.62 mg g^–1 (DW), respectively. An average of 0.2% and 1.0% of Cu and Zn, respectively were estimated to pass to mainstream smoke. Our results are in good agreement with other studies in the worldwide.