Abstract
A method for the determination of menthol in tobacco, in filters before and after smoking as well as in the smoke of mentholated cigarettes is presented which is based on the combination of steam distillation and liquid-Iiquid partition followed by gas chromatography on polypropylene glycol in the presence of benzylpropionate as an internal standard. The procedure also permits menthone to be quantitatively determined as a characteristic constituent of peppermint oils. Analytical results concerning reproducibility, recovery and sensitivity of the method are detailed. The transfer of menthol from the tobacco rod to the acetate filter and vice versa as a function of the storing period of mentholated cigarettes has been investigated as well as the menthol distribution due to the smoking process. A considerable selective retention of menthol by cellulose acetate filters could be demonstrated. Various mentholated cigarettes of different origin and of different menthol contents have comparatively been analysed.