Determination of Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Smoke Fractions of Popular Cigarette Brands Commonly Available in Nigeria

The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seven cigarette brands popularly smoked in Nigeria were determined. The PAHs in the smoke were obtained through a serial entrapment into n-hexane, followed by pre-concentration on a rotary evaporator, cleaning up using activated silica gel, and analysis on a Gas Chromatograph coupled with a Flame Ionization Detector. Sixteen priority PAHs were detected, and their health risk indices were determined. The total PAHs concentrations in the cigarette samples ranged from 25.83 to 864.56 µg/g. The toxicity equivalence (917.68) and inhalation exposure (12,968.40), estimated based on the concentrations, indicated that cigarette smoking is associated with PAHs-induced carcinogenic health risks.