Cigarettes Contain Arsenic: A Study of Arsenic in Tobacco in New Delhi Region Using AAS-VGA | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Cigarettes Contain Arsenic: A Study of Arsenic in Tobacco in New Delhi Region Using AAS-VGA Rohit Kanojia, Niyati Khurana, AK Jaiswal, Sunita Bhagat This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5361013/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background: Arsenic (As), a very toxic metalloid, presents significant health hazards from multiple environmental exposures, including the inhalation of arsenic-laden tobacco smoke. This pertains to the accumulation of arsenic in combustible tobacco and the related health hazards for smokers and anyone exposed to second hand smoke. Inorganic arsenic, the predominant substance in tobacco, is converted into less harmful metabolites. Nonetheless, the methylation process in smokers is suboptimal, resulting in increased concentrations of harmful arsenic compounds. Methodology: Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy with a Vapor Generator Assembly (AAS-VGA) was utilized to assess arsenic level in tobacco, owing to its superior sensitivity and cost-effectiveness. The process entailed closed vessel digestion of tobacco samples using Microwave Digestion System (MDS-10) and after that the concentration of As was analyzed. Result: The findings revealed elevated arsenic concentrations in ppm, yet no threshold for tobacco as such by WHO or any organization. This elevates the danger of developing arsenic-related health issues, such as lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic ailments, to not only to active smokers but also to passive smokers. It is a potential cause of indoor pollution as well. Conclusion: It underscores the need for more stringent public health measures to diminish arsenic exposure from smokable tobacco, while promoting the implementation of advanced detection techniques such as AAS-VGA for efficient monitoring and reduction of contamination. Arsenic Cigarettes Tobacco AAS-VGA Indoor Pollution Figures Figure 1 1. INTRODUCTION The element arsenic (As) being the 53rd most abundant element, is an extremely toxic metalloid. Primarily, arsenic exists in oxidation states of + 3 (arsenite), + 5 (arsenate), 0 (elemental), and − 3 (arsine). The most deleterious forms are arsenite (As³⁺), which is acutely poisonous because of its interference with cellular processes, and arsenate (As 5 ⁺), which hampers cellular energy generation. Among these, arsenite is universally regarded as the most hazardous to human health. (Gross & Nelson, 1934 ) Arsenic poisoning is a serious global health issue that affects millions of people due to intentional poisoning as well as exposure in the workplace and environment. (Dhaware et al., 2009 ; Prabhakar et al., 2013 ) Arsine gas (AsH 3 ), which is both colorless and odorless, is highly hazardous and is commonly linked to industrial activities such as mining and semiconductor manufacturing. Administering even little amounts of arsine can be fatal, as symptoms including headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, dark urine, and jaundice and can occur several hours after exposure. Arsenic predominantly enters the human body from internal consumption, inhalation, or dermal absorption, where it accumulates in the lungs, liver, kidneys, and skin. Following absorption, arsenic undergoes intricate metabolic transformations, whereby certain intermediates exhibit higher toxicity compared to the initial state. Acute arsenic poisoning includes gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, and severe diarrhoea. Chronic exposure, particularly by the consumption of polluted drinking water and food, can result in the development of skin lesions, skin cancer, and increased susceptibility to lung and bladder cancer. In addition, exposure to arsenic is associated with developmental adverse effects, diabetes, lung disease, and cardiovascular disease. (Ferreccio et al., 2013 ; Jiang et al., n.d.; Omare et al., 2022 ) The absorption of arsenic from polluted soil and water by tobacco plants, namely Nicotiana benthamiana , results in the buildup of both inorganic and organic arsenic species. Within tobacco, inorganic arsenic is the predominant type, frequently making up a significant amount of the entire arsenic content. The process of arsenic metabolism in tobacco entails its conversion into less harmful byproducts such as methylarsonic acid (MA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). Nevertheless, the consumption of tobacco is linked to a less effective process of methylating arsenic, leading to elevated concentrations of harmful inorganic arsenic in those who smoke. This increases the potential health hazards, particularly when coupled with other forms of exposure such as contaminated drinking water. Engaging in tobacco smoking results in the introduction of arsenic into both the mainstream and side stream smoke, therefore exposing both active smokers and others nearby to this hazardous poisonous component. Inhalation of arsenic directly by active smokers poses a significant risk for the development of lung cancer and skin lesions. Smoking hinders the process of arsenic methylation, leading to elevated concentrations of harmful byproducts such as monomethylarsonic acid (MA) in urine, so posing heightened health hazards. Individuals who passively smoke, or are exposed to second hand smoke, also encounter health hazards associated with arsenic exposure, but at reduced levels compared to active smokers. The cumulative impacts of arsenic exposure from tobacco and other sources greatly increase the likelihood of health issues associated with arsenic, underscoring the necessity for public health measures aimed at minimizing exposure. Traditional approaches for identifying arsenic in matrices like tobacco, such as colorimetric methods and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), have significant limitations. Colorimetric techniques, which entail the formation of a coloured complex with arsenic and subsequent visual or spectrophotometric measurement, are inherently subjective and have restricted sensitivity, especially when dealing with intricate matrices such as tobacco. The ICP-MS method, although very sensitive, is intricate, necessitating thorough sample preparation and calibration, and expensive, therefore limiting its availability for regular use.(Bhat et al., 2023 ; Hughes et al., 2011 ; Mishra & Verma, 2022 ) AAS-VGA is the favoured method because to its exceptional sensitivity in identifying extremely low levels of arsenic, which is crucial for precise analysis in many complicated matrices. AAS-VGA technology necessitates a substantial sample volume to guarantee representativeness and enables fast analysis, usually within a 30-minute timeframe. The device is designed to be easily used by experts, which minimizes mistakes and mitigates the risk of interference between different elements, therefore improving the accuracy of measurements. Moreover, AAS-VGA is more economically efficient than ICP-MS, thereby enhancing its availability for regular chemical analysis in laboratory settings. The aforementioned benefits render AAS-VGA a dependable and effective approach for the detection of arsenic in comparison to previous methodologies.(Alidadi et al., 2015 ; Bhat et al., 2023 ; Valskys et al., 2022 ) 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1 Materials Experimental glassware : High-quality glassware, manufactured by Borosil Pvt. Ltd. in India. Following an overnight immersion in a chromic acid solution, all the glassware was rinsed with water, ultrapure water, and dried. Chemicals and reagents : 1000 mg/L (1000 ppm) Arsenic produced by Loba Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., L-ascorbic acid and 37% Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) of Emparta grade, Sodium borohydride, Merck India provided Potassium hydroxide of Emsure grade, were used for the analysis along with Ultrapure water from Rions India Pvt. Ltd. was used throughout the experiment. Argon gas of purity 99.99% from Laser Gases Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, was also used throughout the experiment. Miscellaneous Items : The pipette of a capacity of 1 ml of Corning Company was used. Tarson’s Company Pipette Tips of 1 ml were used and the weighing Balance of Igene Labserve was used throughout the experiment. Instrumentation: Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS), Model No. AAS9000 and Hydride Generator (HG), Model No. HG600s from Jiangsu Skyray Instrument Co. Ltd., China was used for the analysis. 2.2 Methods 2.2.1 Preparation of Standard Solutions Dilution method was used to prepare 1ppm of arsenic stock solution was prepared from 1000 ppm arsenic solution. 5 ppb standard solution was prepared by adding 0.5 ml from 1 ppm arsenic stock solution, 1 g of L-ascorbic acid (to make the solution equivalent to 1% L-ascorbic acid), 1 g of thiourea (to make the solution equivalent to 1% thiourea) and 13.5 ml of HCl (to make the solution equivalent to 5% HCl) in a100 ml volumetric flask, shaken well and made up to the mark with ultrapure water. Similarly, to prepare 10 ppb, 20 ppb, and 40 ppb an amount of 1 ml, 2ml, and 4 ml is added from 1 ppm arsenic stock solution in respective 100 ml volumetric flasks by using the above procedure. 2.2.2 Preparation of Standard Blank Solution 1 g of thiourea (to make the solution equivalent to 1% thiourea), 1 g of L-ascorbic acid (to make the solution equivalent to 1% L-ascorbic acid), and 13.5 ml of HCl (to make the solution equivalent to 5% HCl) were taken in 100 ml volumetric flask, shaken well and made up to the mark with ultrapure water. 2.2.3 Preparation of Tobacco Samples The tobacco from a cigarette was taken in a glass vial and labelled. The tobacco was then pulverized into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle. A 0.5g quantity of tobacco powder was measured and placed in an MDS digestion vial. Subsequently, 4 mL of concentrated HNO 3 was added to it and kept for digestion. The parameters of MDS were configured in accordance with the instructions outlined in the MDS-10 manual accompanying the device (Table No 1). The sample was renamed as TS1 (Tobacco stock 1, Similarly TS2, TS3 ....... TS14). The digested sample was collected and subsequently transferred in a separate 100 mL volumetric flask. 2 mL of TS1, 0.5 g of thiourea (to obtain a concentration of 1% thiourea), 0.5 g of L-ascorbic acid (to produce a concentration of 1% L-ascorbic acid), and 6.7 mL of HCl (to achieve a concentration of 5% HCl) were added to the 50 ml volumetric flask. The solution was vigorously agitated and subsequently diluted with ultrapure water until the flask reached the 50 mL mark. This procedure was replicated for each of the tobacco samples. 2.2.4 Preparation of Tobacco Sample Blank In a 100 mL volumetric flask, 4 mL of conc. HNO 3 and 0.5 mL of ultrapure water were taken. 1g of thiourea, 1 g of L-ascorbic acid, and 13.5 mL of HCl were added to the 100 mL volumetric flask. The flask was then shaken well and filled up to the mark with ultrapure water. 2.2.5 Preparation of reagents for VGA Carrier Reagent: A carrier reagent, consisting of 5% HCl, was prepared by dissolving 135.5 mL of 37% HCl in a 1-liter volumetric flask. The solution was then brought to the desired volume by adding ultrapure water. Reducing Agent: The reducing agent was prepared in a 1-liter volumetric flask by dissolving 20 g of NaBH 4 to create a solution equivalent to 2% NaBH 4 , and 5 g of KOH to create a solution equivalent to 0.5% KOH. The flask was thoroughly shaken, and then the volume was raised to 1- liter by adding ultrapure water. Procedure for calibration of AAS-VGA for Arsenic A clean and dry volumetric flask was taken. From a 1000 ppm standard sample solution, a stock solution of 1 ppm was prepared. From this 1 ppm stock solution, standard sample solutions of 5 ppb, 10 ppb, 20 ppb, and 40 ppb were prepared. A standard blank solution was also prepared by adding 100 mL of distilled water to a volumetric flask, with no metal sample added. To prepare the 5ppb solution: From the 1000 ppm standard solution, 100 µL of solution was taken using a micropipette to make a stock solution of 1 ppm. From this 1 ppm stock solution, 0.5 mL was taken using a micropipette into a beaker to make a standard solution of 5 ppb. Similarly, 1 mL, 2 mL, and 4 mL were taken from the stock solution to prepare standard solutions of 10 ppb, 20 ppb, and 40 ppb, respectively. The system was then turned on, and the application was run. Instrumental parameters were set, the Argon gas knob was turned on, and its pressure was adjusted (Table No 2). The As Lamp was selected and executed. A search was started, and the absorbance peak of As was checked. The instrument was prepared for calibration. A new project blank was selected, and an operation table was created for 5 standards: blank, 5 ppb, 10 ppb, 20 ppb, and 40 ppb. Standard 1 (blank sample) was selected, and the capillary of the nebulizer was inserted in the sample. The instrument was set to work, and after 20 seconds, the record button (or space bar) was hit to record the absorbance value. This process was repeated for all calibration table standards (5 ppb, 10 ppb, 20 ppb, and 40 ppb). The calibration table was obtained, and the calibration (correlation) graph was prepared by the instrument, with the correlation value as 0.99699. Calibration was thereby completed. The samples underwent double testing in a single analysis to provide an average measurement, hence minimizing potential errors. The concentration of arsenic in the tobacco sample ranged from 164.4 ppb to 965.2 ppb after considering the dilution factor. 3. RESULT AND DISCUSSION 4.1 Result Atomic absorption spectrophotometer, in conjunction with a Vapour Generator Assembly, was employed to quantify the concentration of arsenic in tobacco samples from cigarettes. The calibration technique covered a spectrum from 5 ppb to 40 ppb. The samples underwent dual analysis in a singular run, and the mean concentration of arsenic was determined by taking into account the dilution effect. The arsenic content varied between 164.4 ppb and 965.2 ppb (Table No. 4), in 0.5g of tobacco taken. 4.2 DISSCUSSION Tobacco plants, recognized for their ability to absorb and retain heavy metals from the soil, can contribute to human exposure to arsenic. Tobacco plants predominantly assimilate arsenic from contaminated soils, fertilizers, or pesticides utilized in their cultivation. The levels of arsenic in tobacco may vary based on geographic location and agricultural methods. Nonetheless, the consumption of tobacco products presents a possible avenue for exposure to arsenic. Tobacco is consumed by humans through several methods, including the regular smoking of cigarettes and cigars, chewing or dipping tobacco, excessive use of hookah or shisha, and the continuous intake of significant quantities of tobacco. Tobacco via cigarettes can also be consumed through its exposure to water. Arsenic included in tobacco can be inhaled and then absorbed into the bloodstream when the plant material is combusted. Prolonged tobacco consumption might result in significant health hazards owing to the presence of nicotine and other compounds. Smoking tobacco releases arsenic into the body, leading to elevated levels of arsenic in the urine of smokers. Consequently, there is a necessity to do inspections on cigarettes available in the Indian market to ascertain the arsenic levels, given the absence of particular regulations regarding the arsenic content in tobacco utilized for cigarette production.(Campbell et al., 2014 ; Regassa & Chandravanshi, 2016 ) The amount of arsenic found in 0.5 g of tobacco is rather insignificant, despite the fact that a cigarette usually contains over 1–2 g. Hence, increasing the concentration of arsenic twofold will unquestionably result in detrimental effects on both active and passive smokers, as well as the surrounding ecosystem. The WHO or any other health organization does not establish a precise threshold for the permissible amount of arsenic in tobacco. It is crucial to acknowledge that arsenic has the ability to transform into vapor and build up in the respiratory tract of both active and passive smokers.(Satterlee, 1956 ) The present investigation entailed the collection of 14 randomly chosen cigarettes of national and international brands from local pan shops in the New Delhi area. Four standards were taken to calibrate AAS-VGA, resulting in a R 2 of 0.99699 (Fig. 1 ). The samples were tested subsequent to the device's calibration. The arsenic concentration in a single cigarette was found to range from 328.8 ppb to 1930.4 ppb (Table No 4). The term 'Sample' (TS1, TS2, …...TS14) has been utilized to obscure the brand's identity. Amongst the total samples, only 3 brands demonstrated the arsenic content below 1 ppm, whilst the other 11 brands exhibit an arsenic concentration around 2 ppm. Sample 10 exhibits the lowest arsenic concentration at 328.8 ppb, whilst sample 11 has the highest value at 1930.4 ppb. Indian customers are subjected to an average of 1212.77 ppb or 1.212 ppm of arsenic per cigarette. The issue of arsenic pollution continues to be a significant global health problem, as ingestion of contaminated crops, water, and seafood are among the many routes through which individuals are exposed. The World Health Organisation advises a maximum threshold of 10 µg/L for arsenic in drinking water, although several areas surpass this prescribed limit. Thorough surveillance and mitigation measures, including the implementation of safe irrigation techniques, provision of uncontaminated drinking water, and advocating food safety, are crucial in order to minimize human exposure and associated health hazards. This leads to the overall accumulation of pollutants in the atmosphere, adversely affecting air quality and posing health risks to persons exposed to the contaminated air. (Daff & Kennaway, 1950 ) 4. CONCLUSION Arsenic is a very toxic substance that presents a significant threat to human health when ingested, breathed, or absorbed through the skin. The toxicity of this drug is insidious and may manifest as either acute or chronic poisoning. Upon analysis of tobacco of cigarettes sold in New Delhi, arsenic concentration was found to vary from a low of 328.8ppb to a maximum of 1930.4 ppb. No specific organization has established a fixed limit for the permissible level of arsenic in tobacco yet. Hence, there is a need for the officials to look upon this matter. Abbreviations As- Arsenic AAS-VGA- Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy with a Vapor Generator Assembly ppm- Parts Per Million ppb- Parts Per Billion WHO- World Health Organization MA- Methyarsenic Acid DMA- Di Methylarsenic Acid ICP-MS- Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy mg- Milligram l- litre HCl- Hydrochloric Acid ml- millilitre cm- centimetres g- gram mA- milliampere mm- millimetre μg- microgram min- minute mpa- Mega Pascal NHV- Negative High Voltage HCL-Hollow Cathode Lamp R 2 - Correlation coff Au- Absorbance MDS- Microwave Digestion System TS- Tobacco Sample HNO 3 - Nitric Acid NaBH 4 - Sodium Borohydride KOH- Potassium Hydroxide W- Watts Declarations ETHICS APPROVAL AND CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE No ethical committee approval was needed CONSENT FOR PUBLICATION All the authors are given the consent for publication FUNDING The author would like to thank University Grants Commission for providing NFSC fellowship. Author Contribution All the Research Work was carried out by first author, RK and second author, NK helped in writing process and literature survey. All the research work was carried under the supervision of corresponding author, SB. Acknowledgement The authors would like to acknowledge Toxicology Laboratory, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India for providing all possible help to carry out the research. They would also like to thank UGC to providing all financial help (NFSC fellowship). References Alidadi, H., Ramezani, A., Davodi, M., Peiravi, R., Paydar, M., Dolatabadi, M., & Rafe, S. (2015). Determination of Total Arsenic in Water Resources: A Case Study of Rivash in Kashmar City. Health Scope , 4 (3), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.17795/jhealthscope-25424 Bhat, A., O Hara, T., Tian, F., & Singh, B. (2023). Review of analytical techniques for arsenic detection and determination in drinking water. Environmental Science: Advances , 2 (2), 171–195. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2VA00218C Campbell, R. C., Stephens, W. E., & Meharg, A. A. (2014). Consistency of arsenic speciation in global tobacco products with implications for health and regulation. Tobacco Induced Diseases , 12 (1), 24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12971-014-0024-5 Daff, M. E., & Kennaway, E. L. (1950). The arsenic content of tobacco and of tobacco smoke. British Journal of Cancer , 4 (2), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1950.17 Dhaware, D., Deshpande, A., Khandekar, R. N., & Chowgule, R. (2009). Determination of Toxic Metals in Indian Smokeless Tobacco Products. The Scientific World JOURNAL , 9 , 1140–1147. https://doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2009.132 Ferreccio, C., Yuan, Y., Calle, J., Benítez, H., Parra, R. L., Acevedo, J., Smith, A. H., Liaw, J., & Steinmaus, C. (2013). Arsenic, Tobacco Smoke, and Occupation. Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.) , 24 (6), 898–905. https://doi.org/10.1097/EDE.0b013e31829e3e03 Gross, C. R., & Nelson, O. A. (1934). Arsenic in Tobacco Smoke. American Journal of Public Health and the Nations Health , 24 (1), 36–42. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.24.1.36 Hughes, M. F., Beck, B. D., Chen, Y., Lewis, A. S., & Thomas, D. J. (2011). Arsenic Exposure and Toxicology: A Historical Perspective. Toxicological Sciences , 123 (2), 305–332. https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfr184 Jiang, C., Chen, Q., & Xie, M. (n.d.). Smoking increases the risk of infectious diseases: A narrative review . https://doi.org/10.18332/tid/123845 Mishra, S., & Verma, S. K. (2022). Methods to Detect Arsenic Compounds. In Arsenic in Plants (pp. 345–366). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119791461.ch18 Omare, M. O., Kibet, J. K., Cherutoi, J. K., & Kengara, F. O. (2022). A review of tobacco abuse and its epidemiological consequences. Zeitschrift Fur Gesundheitswissenschaften , 30 (6), 1485–1500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-020-01443-4 Prabhakar, V., Jayakrishnan, G., Nair, S. V., & Ranganathan, B. (2013). Determination of Trace Metals, Moisture, pH and Assessment of Potential Toxicity of Selected Smokeless Tobacco Products. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences , 75 (3), 262–269. https://doi.org/10.4103/0250-474X.117398 Regassa, G., & Chandravanshi, B. S. (2016). Levels of heavy metals in the raw and processed Ethiopian tobacco leaves. SpringerPlus , 5 , 232. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-1770-z Satterlee, H. S. (1956). The problem of arsenic in American cigarette tobacco. The New England Journal of Medicine , 254 (25), 1149–1154. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM195606212542501 Valskys, V., Hassan, H. R., Wołkowicz, S., Satkūnas, J., Kibirkštis, G., & Ignatavičius, G. (2022). A Review on Detection Techniques, Health Hazards and Human Health Risk Assessment of Arsenic Pollution in Soil and Groundwater. Minerals , 12 (10), Article 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/min12101326 Tables Table No. 1: Parameters of Microwave Digestion System (MDS-10) Step (N) Temp. (Celsius) Time (min) Power of single vessel (W) 1. 130 10 400 2. 150 5 400 3. 180 10 400 Table No. 2: Parameters of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) & Vapour Generator Assembly (VGA). S. No. Parameters Conditions Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) 1. Burner size 10 cm 2. HCL current 5 mA 3. Slit size 0.7 mm 4. NHV 481.25 5. Mode Hydride Vapor Generator Assembly (VGA) 6. Carrier Gas Argon 7. Gas pressure 0.3 MPa 8. Airflow 200 mL/min 9. Heating level 3 out of 5 Table No. 3: Calibration Table of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer by Arsenic Standards for Tobacco Samples Standard Concentration (ppb) Test times Avg. Absorbance Co-relation value (R 2 ) Std. Blank 0 - - 0.99699 Std. 1 5 2 0.0250 Std. 2 10 2 0.0468 Std. 3 20 2 0.0786 Std. 4 40 2 0.1565 Table No. 4: Arsenic Concentration in Tobacco samples by AAS-VGA Sample Concentration (ppb) before dilution factor Test times Absorbance Concentration (ppb) after dilution factor (0.5g tobacco) Concentration of Arsenic in a Cigarette (1g Tobacco) Sample Blank 0.00 - - - - TS 1 2.549 2 0.0138 509.8 1019.6 TS 2 3.989 2 0.0193 797.8 1595.6 TS 3 3.282 2 0.0166 656.4 1312.8 TS 4 3.23 2 0.0164 646 1292 TS 5 3.491 2 0.0174 698.2 1396.4 TS 6 2.628 2 0.0141 525.6 1051.2 TS 7 3.465 2 0.0173 693 1386 TS 8 3.518 2 0.0175 703.6 1407.2 TS 9 1.607 2 0.0102 321.4 642.8 TS 10 0.822 2 0.0072 164.4 328.8 TS 11 4.826 2 0.0225 965.2 1930.4 TS 12 3.81 2 0.0174 762 1524 TS 13 2.89 2 0.0151 578 1156 TS 14 2.34 2 0.0130 468 936 Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5361013","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":377124007,"identity":"7317414f-d95d-45e4-98fc-0493d81b3fae","order_by":0,"name":"Rohit Kanojia","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Rohit","middleName":"","lastName":"Kanojia","suffix":""},{"id":377124008,"identity":"0284085c-6ac0-4c00-aef8-089ce11e6beb","order_by":1,"name":"Niyati Khurana","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"national forensic science university delhi campus","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Niyati","middleName":"","lastName":"Khurana","suffix":""},{"id":377124009,"identity":"fb9eef31-0a65-4401-b3a0-3de57fac3902","order_by":2,"name":"AK Jaiswal","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"All India Institute of Medical Sciences","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"AK","middleName":"","lastName":"Jaiswal","suffix":""},{"id":377124010,"identity":"f7b4d122-1fa6-4e0d-b2cc-50ae58399b65","order_by":3,"name":"Sunita Bhagat","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABEUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYJCCA0CUAGZ9qLABkoyNBwhqOQDRwtg440waiG4gqIUBpqWZt+0wzF7cQH5G7sHDH2ru5PH3L37+gOfMebu17YeBttTYROPSYnAjL+HAgWPPiiVuPDNskKi4nbztTCJQy7G03AZcWiRyDA4cYDuc2HDjgGGDwZnbyWYHgFoYGw7j1CI/A6Tl3+HE+TeOf2xIbDuXbHb+IX4tDDeAWg62HU7ccL7HsOFg2wE7sxsEbDE488bgwNm+Z4kbb/AUzmw4k5xgdgNoSwIev8i35xh/qPh2J3He+eMbPv+psLM3O5/+8MGHGhvcDoMDiQQwlQhWmUBQOQjwHwBT9kQpHgWjYBSMghEFALiYe/YcQ3ZwAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"atma ram sanatana dharma college","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sunita","middleName":"","lastName":"Bhagat","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-10-30 11:38:17","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5361013/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5361013/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":69280636,"identity":"b78e635f-682a-4c76-9c10-679cb6c04d0f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-11-18 18:32:54","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":24398,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eCalibration graph of Arsenic\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5361013/v1/f6fc04ce547819c7a53ff310.png"},{"id":74694812,"identity":"3e2a27da-4adc-4c44-b350-b0fe2aef1981","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-01-24 19:53:25","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1050085,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5361013/v1/058b271d-6988-4b49-83b0-ccd59c47a1c7.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eCigarettes Contain Arsenic: A Study of Arsenic in Tobacco in New Delhi Region Using AAS-VGA\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[{"header":"1. INTRODUCTION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe element arsenic (As) being the 53rd most abundant element, is an extremely toxic metalloid. Primarily, arsenic exists in oxidation states of +\u0026thinsp;3 (arsenite), +\u0026thinsp;5 (arsenate), 0 (elemental), and \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;3 (arsine). The most deleterious forms are arsenite (As\u0026sup3;⁺), which is acutely poisonous because of its interference with cellular processes, and arsenate (As\u003csup\u003e5\u003c/sup\u003e⁺), which hampers cellular energy generation. Among these, arsenite is universally regarded as the most hazardous to human health. (Gross \u0026amp; Nelson, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1934\u003c/span\u003e) Arsenic poisoning is a serious global health issue that affects millions of people due to intentional poisoning as well as exposure in the workplace and environment. (Dhaware et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e; Prabhakar et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eArsine gas (AsH\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e), which is both colorless and odorless, is highly hazardous and is commonly linked to industrial activities such as mining and semiconductor manufacturing. Administering even little amounts of arsine can be fatal, as symptoms including headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, dark urine, and jaundice and can occur several hours after exposure. Arsenic predominantly enters the human body from internal consumption, inhalation, or dermal absorption, where it accumulates in the lungs, liver, kidneys, and skin. Following absorption, arsenic undergoes intricate metabolic transformations, whereby certain intermediates exhibit higher toxicity compared to the initial state. Acute arsenic poisoning includes gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, and severe diarrhoea. Chronic exposure, particularly by the consumption of polluted drinking water and food, can result in the development of skin lesions, skin cancer, and increased susceptibility to lung and bladder cancer. In addition, exposure to arsenic is associated with developmental adverse effects, diabetes, lung disease, and cardiovascular disease. (Ferreccio et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e; Jiang et al., n.d.; Omare et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe absorption of arsenic from polluted soil and water by tobacco plants, namely \u003cem\u003eNicotiana benthamiana\u003c/em\u003e, results in the buildup of both inorganic and organic arsenic species. Within tobacco, inorganic arsenic is the predominant type, frequently making up a significant amount of the entire arsenic content. The process of arsenic metabolism in tobacco entails its conversion into less harmful byproducts such as methylarsonic acid (MA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). Nevertheless, the consumption of tobacco is linked to a less effective process of methylating arsenic, leading to elevated concentrations of harmful inorganic arsenic in those who smoke. This increases the potential health hazards, particularly when coupled with other forms of exposure such as contaminated drinking water.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEngaging in tobacco smoking results in the introduction of arsenic into both the mainstream and side stream smoke, therefore exposing both active smokers and others nearby to this hazardous poisonous component. Inhalation of arsenic directly by active smokers poses a significant risk for the development of lung cancer and skin lesions. Smoking hinders the process of arsenic methylation, leading to elevated concentrations of harmful byproducts such as monomethylarsonic acid (MA) in urine, so posing heightened health hazards. Individuals who passively smoke, or are exposed to second hand smoke, also encounter health hazards associated with arsenic exposure, but at reduced levels compared to active smokers. The cumulative impacts of arsenic exposure from tobacco and other sources greatly increase the likelihood of health issues associated with arsenic, underscoring the necessity for public health measures aimed at minimizing exposure.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTraditional approaches for identifying arsenic in matrices like tobacco, such as colorimetric methods and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), have significant limitations. Colorimetric techniques, which entail the formation of a coloured complex with arsenic and subsequent visual or spectrophotometric measurement, are inherently subjective and have restricted sensitivity, especially when dealing with intricate matrices such as tobacco. The ICP-MS method, although very sensitive, is intricate, necessitating thorough sample preparation and calibration, and expensive, therefore limiting its availability for regular use.(Bhat et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Hughes et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e; Mishra \u0026amp; Verma, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAAS-VGA is the favoured method because to its exceptional sensitivity in identifying extremely low levels of arsenic, which is crucial for precise analysis in many complicated matrices. AAS-VGA technology necessitates a substantial sample volume to guarantee representativeness and enables fast analysis, usually within a 30-minute timeframe. The device is designed to be easily used by experts, which minimizes mistakes and mitigates the risk of interference between different elements, therefore improving the accuracy of measurements. Moreover, AAS-VGA is more economically efficient than ICP-MS, thereby enhancing its availability for regular chemical analysis in laboratory settings. The aforementioned benefits render AAS-VGA a dependable and effective approach for the detection of arsenic in comparison to previous methodologies.(Alidadi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e; Bhat et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e; Valskys et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. MATERIALS AND METHODS","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2.1 Materials\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExperimental glassware\u003c/strong\u003e: High-quality glassware, manufactured by Borosil Pvt. Ltd. in India. Following an overnight immersion in a chromic acid solution, all the glassware was rinsed with water, ultrapure water, and dried.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChemicals and reagents\u003c/strong\u003e: 1000 mg/L (1000 ppm) Arsenic produced by Loba Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., L-ascorbic acid and 37% Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) of Emparta grade, Sodium borohydride, Merck India provided Potassium hydroxide of Emsure grade, were used for the analysis along with Ultrapure water from Rions India Pvt. Ltd. was used throughout the experiment. Argon gas of purity 99.99% from Laser Gases Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, was also used throughout the experiment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMiscellaneous Items\u003c/strong\u003e: The pipette of a capacity of 1 ml of Corning Company was used. Tarson\u0026rsquo;s Company Pipette Tips of 1 ml were used and the weighing Balance of Igene Labserve was used throughout the experiment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstrumentation:\u003c/strong\u003e Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS), Model No. AAS9000 and Hydride Generator (HG), Model No. HG600s from Jiangsu Skyray Instrument Co. Ltd., China was used for the analysis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2.2 Methods\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2.2.1 Preparation of Standard Solutions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDilution method was used to prepare 1ppm of arsenic stock solution was prepared from 1000 ppm arsenic solution.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5 ppb standard solution was prepared by adding 0.5 ml from 1 ppm arsenic stock solution, 1 g of L-ascorbic acid (to make the solution equivalent to 1% L-ascorbic acid), 1 g of thiourea (to make the solution equivalent to 1% thiourea) and 13.5 ml of HCl (to make the solution equivalent to 5% HCl) in a100 ml volumetric flask, shaken well and made up to the mark with ultrapure water.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimilarly, to prepare 10 ppb, 20 ppb, and 40 ppb an amount of 1 ml, 2ml, and 4 ml is added from 1 ppm arsenic stock solution in respective 100 ml volumetric flasks by using the above procedure.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2.2.2 Preparation of Standard Blank Solution\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1 g of thiourea (to make the solution equivalent to 1% thiourea), 1 g of L-ascorbic acid (to make the solution equivalent to 1% L-ascorbic acid), and 13.5 ml of HCl (to make the solution equivalent to 5% HCl) were taken in 100 ml volumetric flask, shaken well and made up to the mark with ultrapure water.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2.2.3 Preparation of Tobacco Samples\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tobacco from a cigarette was taken in a glass vial and labelled. The tobacco was then pulverized into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle. A 0.5g quantity of tobacco powder was measured and placed in an MDS digestion vial. Subsequently, 4 mL of concentrated HNO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e was added to it and kept for digestion. The parameters of MDS were configured in accordance with the instructions outlined in the MDS-10 manual accompanying the device (Table No 1). The sample was renamed as TS1 (Tobacco stock 1, Similarly TS2, TS3 ....... TS14). The digested sample was collected and subsequently transferred in a separate 100 mL volumetric flask. 2 mL of TS1, 0.5 g of thiourea (to obtain a concentration of 1% thiourea), 0.5 g of L-ascorbic acid (to produce a concentration of 1% L-ascorbic acid), and 6.7 mL of HCl (to achieve a concentration of 5% HCl) were added to the 50 ml volumetric flask. The solution was vigorously agitated and subsequently diluted with ultrapure water until the flask reached the 50 mL mark. This procedure was replicated for each of the tobacco samples.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2.2.4 Preparation of Tobacco Sample Blank\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a 100 mL volumetric flask, 4 mL of conc. HNO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e and 0.5 mL of ultrapure water were taken. 1g of thiourea, 1 g of L-ascorbic acid, and 13.5 mL of HCl were added to the 100 mL volumetric flask. The flask was then shaken well and filled up to the mark with ultrapure water.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2.2.5 Preparation of reagents for VGA\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarrier Reagent: A carrier reagent, consisting of 5% HCl, was prepared by dissolving 135.5 mL of 37% HCl in a 1-liter volumetric flask. The solution was then brought to the desired volume by adding ultrapure water.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReducing Agent: The reducing agent was prepared in a 1-liter volumetric flask by dissolving 20 g of NaBH\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e to create a solution equivalent to 2% NaBH\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e, and 5 g of KOH to create a solution equivalent to 0.5% KOH. The flask was thoroughly shaken, and then the volume was raised to 1- liter by adding ultrapure water.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"2\"\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProcedure for calibration of AAS-VGA for Arsenic\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA clean and dry volumetric flask was taken. From a 1000 ppm standard sample solution, a stock solution of 1 ppm was prepared. From this 1 ppm stock solution, standard sample solutions of 5 ppb, 10 ppb, 20 ppb, and 40 ppb were prepared. A standard blank solution was also prepared by adding 100 mL of distilled water to a volumetric flask, with no metal sample added.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo prepare the 5ppb solution:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the 1000 ppm standard solution, 100 \u0026micro;L of solution was taken using a micropipette to make a stock solution of 1 ppm. From this 1 ppm stock solution, 0.5 mL was taken using a micropipette into a beaker to make a standard solution of 5 ppb. Similarly, 1 mL, 2 mL, and 4 mL were taken from the stock solution to prepare standard solutions of 10 ppb, 20 ppb, and 40 ppb, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe system was then turned on, and the application was run. Instrumental parameters were set, the Argon gas knob was turned on, and its pressure was adjusted (Table No 2). The As Lamp was selected and executed. A search was started, and the absorbance peak of As was checked. The instrument was prepared for calibration. A new project blank was selected, and an operation table was created for 5 standards: blank, 5 ppb, 10 ppb, 20 ppb, and 40 ppb. Standard 1 (blank sample) was selected, and the capillary of the nebulizer was inserted in the sample. The instrument was set to work, and after 20 seconds, the record button (or space bar) was hit to record the absorbance value. This process was repeated for all calibration table standards (5 ppb, 10 ppb, 20 ppb, and 40 ppb). The calibration table was obtained, and the calibration (correlation) graph was prepared by the instrument, with the correlation value as 0.99699. Calibration was thereby completed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe samples underwent double testing in a single analysis to provide an average measurement, hence minimizing potential errors. The concentration of arsenic in the tobacco sample ranged from 164.4 ppb to 965.2 ppb after considering the dilution factor.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"3. RESULT AND DISCUSSION","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.1 Result\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAtomic absorption spectrophotometer, in conjunction with a Vapour Generator Assembly, was employed to quantify the concentration of arsenic in tobacco samples from cigarettes. The calibration technique covered a spectrum from 5 ppb to 40 ppb. The samples underwent dual analysis in a singular run, and the mean concentration of arsenic was determined by taking into account the dilution effect. The arsenic content varied between 164.4 ppb and 965.2 ppb (Table No. 4), in 0.5g of tobacco taken.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e4.2 DISSCUSSION\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTobacco plants, recognized for their ability to absorb and retain heavy metals from the soil, can contribute to human exposure to arsenic. Tobacco plants predominantly assimilate arsenic from contaminated soils, fertilizers, or pesticides utilized in their cultivation. The levels of arsenic in tobacco may vary based on geographic location and agricultural methods. Nonetheless, the consumption of tobacco products presents a possible avenue for exposure to arsenic. Tobacco is consumed by humans through several methods, including the regular smoking of cigarettes and cigars, chewing or dipping tobacco, excessive use of hookah or shisha, and the continuous intake of significant quantities of tobacco. Tobacco via cigarettes can also be consumed through its exposure to water. Arsenic included in tobacco can be inhaled and then absorbed into the bloodstream when the plant material is combusted. Prolonged tobacco consumption might result in significant health hazards owing to the presence of nicotine and other compounds. Smoking tobacco releases arsenic into the body, leading to elevated levels of arsenic in the urine of smokers. Consequently, there is a necessity to do inspections on cigarettes available in the Indian market to ascertain the arsenic levels, given the absence of particular regulations regarding the arsenic content in tobacco utilized for cigarette production.(Campbell et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e; Regassa \u0026amp; Chandravanshi, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe amount of arsenic found in 0.5 g of tobacco is rather insignificant, despite the fact that a cigarette usually contains over 1\u0026ndash;2 g. Hence, increasing the concentration of arsenic twofold will unquestionably result in detrimental effects on both active and passive smokers, as well as the surrounding ecosystem. The WHO or any other health organization does not establish a precise threshold for the permissible amount of arsenic in tobacco. It is crucial to acknowledge that arsenic has the ability to transform into vapor and build up in the respiratory tract of both active and passive smokers.(Satterlee, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1956\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe present investigation entailed the collection of 14 randomly chosen cigarettes of national and international brands from local pan shops in the New Delhi area. Four standards were taken to calibrate AAS-VGA, resulting in a R\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e of 0.99699 (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e). The samples were tested subsequent to the device's calibration. The arsenic concentration in a single cigarette was found to range from 328.8 ppb to 1930.4 ppb (Table No 4). The term 'Sample' (TS1, TS2, \u0026hellip;...TS14) has been utilized to obscure the brand's identity. Amongst the total samples, only 3 brands demonstrated the arsenic content below 1 ppm, whilst the other 11 brands exhibit an arsenic concentration around 2 ppm. Sample 10 exhibits the lowest arsenic concentration at 328.8 ppb, whilst sample 11 has the highest value at 1930.4 ppb. Indian customers are subjected to an average of 1212.77 ppb or 1.212 ppm of arsenic per cigarette.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe issue of arsenic pollution continues to be a significant global health problem, as ingestion of contaminated crops, water, and seafood are among the many routes through which individuals are exposed. The World Health Organisation advises a maximum threshold of 10 \u0026micro;g/L for arsenic in drinking water, although several areas surpass this prescribed limit. Thorough surveillance and mitigation measures, including the implementation of safe irrigation techniques, provision of uncontaminated drinking water, and advocating food safety, are crucial in order to minimize human exposure and associated health hazards. This leads to the overall accumulation of pollutants in the atmosphere, adversely affecting air quality and posing health risks to persons exposed to the contaminated air. (Daff \u0026amp; Kennaway, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1950\u003c/span\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. CONCLUSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eArsenic is a very toxic substance that presents a significant threat to human health when ingested, breathed, or absorbed through the skin. The toxicity of this drug is insidious and may manifest as either acute or chronic poisoning. Upon analysis of tobacco of cigarettes sold in New Delhi, arsenic concentration was found to vary from a low of 328.8ppb to a maximum of 1930.4 ppb. No specific organization has established a fixed limit for the permissible level of arsenic in tobacco yet. Hence, there is a need for the officials to look upon this matter.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Abbreviations","content":"\u003cp\u003eAs- Arsenic\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAAS-VGA-\u0026nbsp;Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy with a Vapor Generator Assembly\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eppm- Parts Per Million\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eppb- Parts Per Billion\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWHO- World Health Organization\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMA- Methyarsenic Acid\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDMA- Di Methylarsenic Acid\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eICP-MS- Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003emg- Milligram\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003el- litre\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHCl- Hydrochloric Acid\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eml- millilitre\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ecm- centimetres\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eg- gram\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003emA- milliampere\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003emm- millimetre\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026mu;g- microgram\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003emin- minute\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003empa- Mega Pascal\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNHV- Negative High Voltage\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHCL-Hollow Cathode Lamp\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eR\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e- Correlation coff\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAu- Absorbance\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMDS- Microwave Digestion System\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTS- Tobacco Sample\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHNO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e- Nitric Acid\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNaBH\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e- Sodium Borohydride\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKOH- Potassium Hydroxide\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eW- Watts\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003ch2\u003eETHICS APPROVAL AND CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo ethical committee approval was needed\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eCONSENT FOR PUBLICATION\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll the authors are given the consent for publication\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFUNDING\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe author would like to thank University Grants Commission for providing NFSC fellowship.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll the Research Work was carried out by first author, RK and second author, NK helped in writing process and literature survey. All the research work was carried under the supervision of corresponding author, SB.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAcknowledgement\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe authors would like to acknowledge Toxicology Laboratory, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India for providing all possible help to carry out the research. They would also like to thank UGC to providing all financial help (NFSC fellowship).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlidadi, H., Ramezani, A., Davodi, M., Peiravi, R., Paydar, M., Dolatabadi, M., \u0026amp; Rafe, S. (2015). Determination of Total Arsenic in Water Resources: A Case Study of Rivash in Kashmar City. \u003cem\u003eHealth Scope\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e4\u003c/em\u003e(3), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.17795/jhealthscope-25424\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBhat, A., O Hara, T., Tian, F., \u0026amp; Singh, B. (2023). Review of analytical techniques for arsenic detection and determination in drinking water. \u003cem\u003eEnvironmental Science: Advances\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e2\u003c/em\u003e(2), 171\u0026ndash;195. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2VA00218C\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCampbell, R. C., Stephens, W. E., \u0026amp; Meharg, A. A. (2014). Consistency of arsenic speciation in global tobacco products with implications for health and regulation. \u003cem\u003eTobacco Induced Diseases\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e12\u003c/em\u003e(1), 24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12971-014-0024-5\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDaff, M. E., \u0026amp; Kennaway, E. L. (1950). The arsenic content of tobacco and of tobacco smoke. \u003cem\u003eBritish Journal of Cancer\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e4\u003c/em\u003e(2), 173\u0026ndash;182. https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1950.17\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDhaware, D., Deshpande, A., Khandekar, R. N., \u0026amp; Chowgule, R. (2009). Determination of Toxic Metals in Indian Smokeless Tobacco Products. \u003cem\u003eThe Scientific World JOURNAL\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e9\u003c/em\u003e, 1140\u0026ndash;1147. https://doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2009.132\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFerreccio, C., Yuan, Y., Calle, J., Ben\u0026iacute;tez, H., Parra, R. L., Acevedo, J., Smith, A. H., Liaw, J., \u0026amp; Steinmaus, C. (2013). Arsenic, Tobacco Smoke, and Occupation. \u003cem\u003eEpidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.)\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e24\u003c/em\u003e(6), 898\u0026ndash;905. https://doi.org/10.1097/EDE.0b013e31829e3e03\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGross, C. R., \u0026amp; Nelson, O. A. (1934). Arsenic in Tobacco Smoke. \u003cem\u003eAmerican Journal of Public Health and the Nations Health\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e24\u003c/em\u003e(1), 36\u0026ndash;42. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.24.1.36\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHughes, M. F., Beck, B. D., Chen, Y., Lewis, A. S., \u0026amp; Thomas, D. J. (2011). Arsenic Exposure and Toxicology: A Historical Perspective. \u003cem\u003eToxicological Sciences\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e123\u003c/em\u003e(2), 305\u0026ndash;332. https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfr184\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJiang, C., Chen, Q., \u0026amp; Xie, M. (n.d.). \u003cem\u003eSmoking increases the risk of infectious diseases: A narrative review\u003c/em\u003e. https://doi.org/10.18332/tid/123845\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMishra, S., \u0026amp; Verma, S. K. (2022). Methods to Detect Arsenic Compounds. In \u003cem\u003eArsenic in Plants\u003c/em\u003e (pp. 345\u0026ndash;366). John Wiley \u0026amp; Sons, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119791461.ch18\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOmare, M. O., Kibet, J. K., Cherutoi, J. K., \u0026amp; Kengara, F. O. (2022). A review of tobacco abuse and its epidemiological consequences. \u003cem\u003eZeitschrift Fur Gesundheitswissenschaften\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e30\u003c/em\u003e(6), 1485\u0026ndash;1500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-020-01443-4\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrabhakar, V., Jayakrishnan, G., Nair, S. V., \u0026amp; Ranganathan, B. (2013). Determination of Trace Metals, Moisture, pH and Assessment of Potential Toxicity of Selected Smokeless Tobacco Products. \u003cem\u003eIndian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e75\u003c/em\u003e(3), 262\u0026ndash;269. https://doi.org/10.4103/0250-474X.117398\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRegassa, G., \u0026amp; Chandravanshi, B. S. (2016). Levels of heavy metals in the raw and processed Ethiopian tobacco leaves. \u003cem\u003eSpringerPlus\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e5\u003c/em\u003e, 232. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-1770-z\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSatterlee, H. S. (1956). The problem of arsenic in American cigarette tobacco. \u003cem\u003eThe New England Journal of Medicine\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e254\u003c/em\u003e(25), 1149\u0026ndash;1154. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM195606212542501\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eValskys, V., Hassan, H. R., Wołkowicz, S., Satkūnas, J., Kibirk\u0026scaron;tis, G., \u0026amp; Ignatavičius, G. (2022). A Review on Detection Techniques, Health Hazards and Human Health Risk Assessment of Arsenic Pollution in Soil and Groundwater. \u003cem\u003eMinerals\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e12\u003c/em\u003e(10), Article 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/min12101326\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"},{"header":"Tables","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable No. 1: Parameters of Microwave Digestion System (MDS-10)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 14.3617%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStep (N)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 26.9504%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTemp. (Celsius)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.7447%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTime (min)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 37.9433%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePower of single vessel (W)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 14.3617%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 26.9504%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e130\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.7447%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 37.9433%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e400\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 14.3617%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 26.9504%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e150\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.7447%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 37.9433%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e400\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 14.3617%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 26.9504%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e180\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.7447%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 37.9433%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e400\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable No. 2: Parameters\u0026nbsp;of\u0026nbsp;Atomic\u0026nbsp;Absorption Spectrophotometer\u0026nbsp;(AAS)\u0026nbsp;\u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;Vapour\u0026nbsp;Generator\u0026nbsp;Assembly\u0026nbsp;(VGA).\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 17%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eS. No.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 42%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eParameters\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 39%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConditions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"3\" style=\"width: 100%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAtomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 17%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 42%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBurner size\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 39%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10 cm\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 17%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 42%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHCL current\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 39%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5 mA\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 17%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 42%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSlit size\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 39%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.7 mm\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 17%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 42%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eNHV\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 39%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e481.25\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 17%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 42%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMode\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 39%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHydride\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"3\" style=\"width: 100%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVapor Generator Assembly (VGA)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 17%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e6.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 42%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCarrier Gas\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 39%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eArgon\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 17%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e7.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 42%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGas pressure\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 39%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.3 MPa\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 17%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e8.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 42%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAirflow\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 39%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e200 mL/min\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 17%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e9.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 42%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHeating level\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 39%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3 out of 5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable No. 3: Calibration Table of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer by Arsenic Standards for Tobacco Samples\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 120px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStandard\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 120px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConcentration (ppb)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 90px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTest times\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 142px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvg. Absorbance\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 129px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCo-relation value (R\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 120px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStd. Blank\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 120px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 90px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 142px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"5\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 129px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;0.99699\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 120px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStd. 1\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 120px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 90px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 142px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0250\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 120px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStd. 2\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 120px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 90px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 142px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0468\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 120px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStd. 3\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 120px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 90px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 142px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0786\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 120px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStd. 4\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 120px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 90px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 142px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.1565\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable No. 4:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArsenic Concentration in\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTobacco samples by AAS-VGA\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.4082%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSample\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConcentration (ppb) before dilution factor\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.2041%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTest times\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 16.3265%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbsorbance\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConcentration (ppb) after dilution factor (0.5g tobacco)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConcentration of Arsenic in a Cigarette (1g Tobacco)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.4082%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSample Blank\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.00\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.2041%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 16.3265%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.4082%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTS 1\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.549\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.2041%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 16.3265%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0138\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e509.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1019.6\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.4082%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTS 2\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.989\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.2041%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 16.3265%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0193\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e797.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1595.6\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.4082%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTS 3\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.282\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.2041%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 16.3265%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0166\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e656.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1312.8\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.4082%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTS 4\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.23\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.2041%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 16.3265%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0164\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e646\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1292\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.4082%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTS 5\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.491\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.2041%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 16.3265%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0174\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e698.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1396.4\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.4082%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTS 6\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.628\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 10.2041%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 16.3265%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.0141\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e525.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19.3878%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1051.2\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 20.4082%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTS 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\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"
[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Arsenic, Cigarettes, Tobacco, AAS-VGA, Indoor Pollution","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5361013/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5361013/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground:\u003c/strong\u003e Arsenic (As), a very toxic metalloid, presents significant health hazards from multiple environmental exposures, including the inhalation of arsenic-laden tobacco smoke. This pertains to the accumulation of arsenic in combustible tobacco and the related health hazards for smokers and anyone exposed to second hand smoke. Inorganic arsenic, the predominant substance in tobacco, is converted into less harmful metabolites. Nonetheless, the methylation process in smokers is suboptimal, resulting in increased concentrations of harmful arsenic compounds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethodology:\u003c/strong\u003e Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy with a Vapor Generator Assembly (AAS-VGA) was utilized to assess arsenic level in tobacco, owing to its superior sensitivity and cost-effectiveness. The process entailed closed vessel digestion of tobacco samples using Microwave Digestion System (MDS-10) and after that the concentration of As was analyzed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResult:\u003c/strong\u003e The findings revealed elevated arsenic concentrations in ppm, yet no threshold for tobacco as such by WHO or any organization. This elevates the danger of developing arsenic-related health issues, such as lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic ailments, to not only to active smokers but also to passive smokers. It is a potential cause of indoor pollution as well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion:\u003c/strong\u003e It underscores the need for more stringent public health measures to diminish arsenic exposure from smokable tobacco, while promoting the implementation of advanced detection techniques such as AAS-VGA for efficient monitoring and reduction of contamination.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Cigarettes Contain Arsenic: A Study of Arsenic in Tobacco in New Delhi Region Using AAS-VGA","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-11-18 17:09:16","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5361013/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"
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