title: Novel method to analysis benzo[a]pyrene in filter by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry: application to assess mouth level benzo[a]pyrene exposure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is a well-known carcinogenic compound produced from incomplete combustion of organic compounds. During cigarette smoking, cigarette filters trap a portion of mainstream smoke B[a]P and accurate measurement of B[a]P levels in cigarette filter can be used to estimate human exposure level of this compound.
  
  
  METHODS
  A rapid and sensitive method to quantify B[a]P levels trapped by cigarette filter was developed. The method is based on liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure photoionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/APPI-MS/MS). Validation was provided in smoked cigarette filter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The method involved no extensive manual cleanup and concentration steps, hence is easy to use. The limit of detection was 0.064 ng/mL. The recovery ranged from 82.68% to 103.27% and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 7%. A regression model between mainstream cigarette smoke and trapped B[a]P by cigarette filter was established (y = 2.5089x - 0.1851, R(2) = 0.999, n = 6). This model was applied to estimate mouth-level B[a]P exposure of smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The LC/APPI-MS/MS method developed in this work had an excellent throughput in estimating the mouth-level exposure under natural human smoking conditions. Mouth-level B[a]P exposure based on a study of three cigarettes (8, 10 and 13 mg tar levels) showed significant positive correlations with B[a]P trapped by cigarette filter measured (y = 2.5456x - 0.5056, R(2) = 1, n = 249).
authors.affiliation: China National Tobacco Quality Supervision & Test Centre, Zhengzhou, 450001, China; Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China.
authors.forename: Xiaotao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Longkai
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qingyuan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000032:analysis*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012907:Smoking; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000032:analysis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene