Sampling and determination of hydrogen cyanide in cigarette smoke

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–pyrazolone 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∼0.80 μg mL^–1 cyanide, with a molar absorptivity of 3.48 × 10⁴ L mol^–1 cm^–1. Received: 30 November 1998 / Revised: 21 April 1999 / Accepted: 30 April 1999