Sampling and determination of hydrogen cyanide in cigarette smoke

摘要

A method for sampling and determination of hydrogen cyanide in cigarette smoke is described. Cigarette smoke is filtered through a glass fiber filter paper, and only gaseous compounds, such as hydrogen cyanide, are collected in a dilute sodium hydroxide solution. The cyanide is determined spectrophotometrically at 550 nm by the isonicotinic acid-pyra-zolone method. Maximum absorbance is achieved within 10 min at room temperature, and remains constant for about 20 min. Beer's law is obeyed in the range 0.04 approx 0.80 #mu#g mL~(-1) cyanide, with a molar absorptivity of 3.48 * 10~4 L mol~(-1) cm~(-1).