title: Comparison of Mineral Contents in Three Different Tobacco Formulations.
abstract: We identified and quantified a variety of mineral elements in 18 tobacco samples purchased from a Tunisian market. In total, 25 mineral elements have been measured in cigarettes, water pipe tobacco, and smokeless tobacco using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy following microwave-assisted digestion. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSSTM, version 18.0. The lowest concentrations of all studied elements were observed in water pipe tobacco. Significantly higher concentrations of Al, Fe, Mg, Na, Ca, Cr, and Co were found in smokeless tobacco, while cigarettes brands contained the highest concentrations of K, Mn, Ni, Ba, and Sr. There was no significant difference between the mineral contents of local and foreign cigarettes and conventional and light cigarettes. Our findings demonstrated that local smokeless tobacco appears to be the most hazardous tobacco type. The concentration of minerals in light cigarettes was not significantly different from the concentration in conventional cigarettes.
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratory 'Vulnerability to Psychotic Disorders LR 05 ES 10', Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia; Biochemistry and Toxicology Laboratory, Monastir University Hospital, Monastir 5000, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ikram
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Houas
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratory 'Vulnerability to Psychotic Disorders LR 05 ES 10', Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hassen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Teyeb
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Valencia, Burjassot 46100, Spain.
authors.forename: Arancha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rochina-Marco
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratory 'Vulnerability to Psychotic Disorders LR 05 ES 10', Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia; Biochemistry and Toxicology Laboratory, Monastir University Hospital, Monastir 5000, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Wahiba
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Douki
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Toxicology Laboratory, Monastir University Hospital, Monastir 5000, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed Fadhel
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Najjar
authors.affiliation: Research Laboratory 'Vulnerability to Psychotic Disorders LR 05 ES 10', Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Lotfi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gaha
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Valencia, Burjassot 46100, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cervera
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Valencia, Burjassot 46100, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DE LA Guardia
mesh_terms: D004602:Elements; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004602:Elements