Abstract:

The separation of cigarette alkaloids was reported and performed with tartaric acid buffer
solution by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). A buffer solution of pH 2.8, 410 mmol/L tartaric
acid was used as the running buffer for the determination of cigarette alkaloids in CZE. The
detection sensitivity and resolution with the tartaric acid buffer solution were better than those
with phosphate buffer. The sample extraction conditions, buffer electrolyte, pH and concentrations
were investigated for the alkaloids separation and determination. The linear range, detection
limits, reproducibilities and recoveries of the cigarette alkaloids were 0.06-0.80 mg/L for
nicotine (0.006-0.10 mg/L for other alkaloids), 0.002-0.01 mg/L, 2.2%-10% and 87.6%-102%,
respectively.

Key words: alkaloid, cigarettes, tartaric acid buffer solution , capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE)