Abstract
This paper illustrates the potential of a computerized spectrophotometer for measuring total alkaloids in tobacco. Prediction equations were developed for three optical parameters. Of the three parameters investigated d2 (log (1/R)) /d/2 gave the best results and d R / R d l gave better results than log (1/R), where reflectance R is the ratio of the detector signal of the sample to the detector signal of the ceramic standard in the reflectance mode. The coefficient of determination r2 for the prediction equation containing d2 (log (1/R)) /d/2 terms at 10 different wavelengths was 0.975. This equation predicted the total alkaloids in an independent set of samples with a standard error of 0.438 %. Instrument noise contributed 43 % of the variation, the remainder was attributed to anomalies of the chemical methods.