title: Time course of nicotine and cotinine incorporation into samples of nonsmokers' beard hair following a single dose of nicotine polacrilex.
abstract: Hair nicotine and cotinine have been proposed as longer-term markers of exposure to secondhand smoke. In this study, we evaluated the rate and extent of nicotine and cotinine deposition into beard hair among six male nonsmokers following a single exposure to 4 mg of nicotine in Nicorette(®) (nicotine polacrilex) gum. We collected beard hair samples daily for 12 days following exposure and urine samples for 6 days after exposure. Using liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric analysis, we found that both nicotine and cotinine could be detected in beard samples within 24 h of the exposure and reached a maximum of about 71 pg nicotine and 47 pg cotinine/mg hair, respectively, within 1-2 days, followed by a gradual decline. Compared to beard hair concentrations, nicotine, cotinine, and hydroxycotinine were excreted in urine at much higher levels and also peaked on the day after exposure (mean ± SD urine cotinine = 300 ± 183 ng/mL). Our results confirmed that both nicotine and cotinine can be measured in beard hair samples following a single dose of nicotine. However, both the time-course and extent of deposition of these analytes in beard hair in this study differed from the results reported previously from a similar evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, Mailstop F-47, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. Jtb2@cdc.gov
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bernert
authors.forename: Joseph R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Connie S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Sosnoff
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: McGuffey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003367:Cotinine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000652:urine; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000652:urine; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D012906:Smoke; D013997:Time Factors; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D011145:Polyvinyls; D012906:Smoke; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D009538:Nicotine; D003367:Cotinine