Abstract
A rapid, automated method for the simultaneous quantitative analysis of nicotine and water in the condensate of tobacco smoke was developed. With the process, it is also possible to quantify the propylene glycol and diethylene glycol, as well as the triacetin contents of the condensate. The apparatus comprises an isotherm gas chromatograph with an automatic injector. A variable split is connected to the injector block, which distributes the sample between two separation columns, as analysis of all substances in a single column does not succeed in a short time. The signals of the two detectors used (thermal conductivity detector and flame ionisation detector) are transferred one after another, time-switched, to an electronic single-channel integrator to be evaluated. With the system described, up to sixty analyses a day are made possible.