Gas chromatographic determination of aldehydes in combustion smoke samples

Gas chromatographic method for the determination of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes in combustion smoke has been developed. After trapping of combustion smoke into dilute hydrochloric acid containing ascorbic acid with a laboratory-made smoking machine, aldehydes were converted into their thiazolidine derivatives by the reaction with cysteamine, and then measured by gas chromatography with flame photometric detection. The calibration curves for these aldehydes in the range 0.02–2.0 μg were linear and the detection limits at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 were ca. 4–100 pg injected. Aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes in combustion smokes could be selectively determined by this method without any interference from coexisting substances. Overall recoveries of aldehydes added to cigarette smoke samples were 84–110%. Analytical results for the contents of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes in combustion smokes of various materials such as food, cigarette, wood and rubber were presented.