Overview
ISO 23905:2020 specifies a laboratory method for the quantification of selected phenolic compounds in cigarette mainstream smoke using high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC‑FLD). The method uses standard machine‑smoking conditions defined in ISO 3308 and is applicable to cigarettes with total particulate matter (TPM) yields between 1 mg/cigarette and 16 mg/cigarette. Target analytes include hydroquinone, resorcinol, catechol, phenol, p‑cresol, m‑cresol and o‑cresol.
Key Topics and Requirements
- Principle: Collect mainstream smoke on a glass fibre filter pad (e.g., Cambridge filter pad), extract with 1% acetic acid, dilute and analyse by HPLC‑FLD.
- Analytes: Hydroquinone, resorcinol, catechol, phenol, p‑/m‑/o‑cresol.
- Smoking parameters: Use ISO 3308 routine smoking machine conditions; cigarettes must be conditioned per ISO 3402.
- Apparatus: Routine analytical cigarette‑smoking machine (ISO 3308), HPLC system with binary gradient pump, autosampler, fluorescence detector and data system; PFP (pentafluorophenylpropyl) HPLC column (e.g., 3 µm, 150 × 4.6 mm) with disposable guard.
- Reagents & standards: HPLC‑grade methanol, acetic acid, deionized water and certified reference materials for each phenolic compound. Procedure includes preparation of primary, secondary and working calibration standards; stock stability guidance (primary stock ≈ 2 weeks; secondary/working ≈ 5 days refrigerated).
- Validation & quality: Method includes calibration, calculation procedures and repeatability/reproducibility assessment based on a collaborative study. Users must follow recommended leak checks, puff‑volume verification and TPM monitoring.
- Limitations & safety: Applicable only for TPM 1–16 mg/cig; machine smoking does not directly measure human exposure. The standard contains safety warnings - users must adopt appropriate laboratory health and safety practices.
Applications and Who Uses It
- Tobacco product testing laboratories performing routine emissions analysis and quality control.
- Regulatory agencies assessing product emissions for compliance or comparative evaluation.
- Research institutions studying smoke chemistry, formation pathways, or exposure proxies.
- Manufacturers conducting product development, design verification and analytical method transfer.
Practical uses include benchmarking phenolic yields across products, supporting product hazard assessment inputs, and method transfer between laboratories.
Related Standards
- ISO 3308 - Routine analytical cigarette‑smoking machine (definitions and conditions)
- ISO 3402 - Conditioning and testing atmosphere for tobacco
- ISO 4387 - Determination of total and nicotine‑free dry particulate matter
- ISO 8243 - Cigarette sampling
- ISO 5725 series - Accuracy (repeatability and reproducibility) of measurement methods
Keywords: ISO 23905:2020, phenolic compounds, HPLC‑FLD, cigarette mainstream smoke, ISO 3308, TPM, PFP column, smoke analysis, tobacco testing.