Comprehensive chemical characterization of Rapé tobacco products: Nicotine, un-ionized nicotine, tobacco-specific N′-nitrosamines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and flavor constituents

•Rapé is a diverse group of smokeless tobacco from South America that contains nicotine-enriched tobacco mixed with nontobacco ingredients.•Rapés contain varying amounts of Nicotiana rustica (a high nicotine species) resulting in a wide range of total nicotine values.•Due to high pH levels resulting from the addition of alkaline plant ashes, un-ionized nicotine levels in some rapés reached high levels.•Various rapés contained carcinogenic tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, camphor and coumarin.•Although it has existed for thousands of years, this is the first report of the levels of NICOTINE, toxicants, carcinogens, and flavors in rapé.