<br/>The characterization of highly flavored tobacco products such as e-liquids and contemporary shisha tobaccos presents a major analytical challenge. In the case of e-liquids (also known as electronic cigarette refill liquids), the matrix is a mixture of glycerol and propylene glycol that may also contain nicotine and/or water. The matrix for contemporary shisha tobaccos generally has glycerol as the main component, followed by propylene glycol, sugar syrups, water, and only 10 – 30% tobacco. Flavorings are usually added as solutions in propylene glycol. A number of popular flavors are aromatics or aliphatic aldehydes and these react with the propylene glycol and glycerol in the formulations. Thus, for example, vanillin forms two diastreomers with propylene glycol and several with glycerol. Since such acetals may not have enough thermal stability for gas chromatography, liquid chromatography is preferred. However, conventional reverse phase chromatography often results in numerous coeluting peaks. aqueous normal phase chromatography using bidentate -18, phenyl hydride, diol, and amide hydride phases minimizes such problems. Typical mobile phases are acetonitrile-water-0.13% TFA at 1 mL/minute with 250 x 4.6 mm columns. UV detection at several wavelengths was used to help determine coelutions.

Applciation of aqueous normal phase chromatography with silica hydride-based stationary phases to the characterization of e-liquids and shisha tobaccos

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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