Detecting nicotine in historic and prehistoric smoking pipes is important in understanding the origins of tobacco use by early humans. Therefore, developing a robust analytical method to detect trace amounts of nicotine in clay samples will be an important addition to the archaeologist’s toolbox. In this study we attempt to develop a method to optimize the extraction of nicotine from clay. Clay samples infused with 3.3 PPM nicotine were extracted using different combinations of methanol, chloroform and potassium hydroxide to determine the best solvent mixtures for the extraction. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography flame ionization detection (GC-FID) were used respectively to identify and quantify nicotine extracted from clay samples.

Analysis of nicotine in clay samples by solvent extraction and gas chromatography mass spectrometry

255th National Meeting (2018)

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