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Major- and trace-element distribution in cigarette tobacco, ash and filters

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Abstract

To evidence the efficiency of cigarette filter we have determined the content of 27 major and trace elements in two brands of filter and filter-less cigarette tobacco, tobacco ash as well as new and spent filters. All measurements were performed by Epithermal Neutron Activation Analysis. We have found that the ash still contained between 71 and 86% of the initial amount of investigated elements excepting the more volatile As whose fraction represented only 28–32% of its original quantity. The possible implications of these findings were discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partially realized within the Collaboration Protocol 4322-4-17/19 between the University of Bucharest and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russian Federation. We would wish to thank two anonymous reviewers for their remarks and advices.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 141980, Dubna, Russian Federation

    Inga Zinicovscaia, Otilia A. Culicov, Octavian G. Duliu, Nikita S. Yushin & Svetlana F. Gundorina

  2. “Horia Hulubei” National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, 30, Atomistilor str, 077125, Magurele (Ilfov), Romania

    Inga Zinicovscaia

  3. National Institute for R & D in Electrical Engineering, ICPE-CA, 313, Splaiul Unirii, 030138, Bucharest, Romania

    Otilia A. Culicov

  4. Department of Structure of Matter, Earth and Atmospheric Physics and Astrophysics, Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest, 405, Atomistilor str, 077125, Magurele (Ilfov), Romania

    Octavian G. Duliu

  5. Dubna University, 19 Universitetskaya str, 141982, Dubna, Russian Federation

    Nikita S. Yushin

Authors
  1. Inga Zinicovscaia
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  2. Otilia A. Culicov
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  3. Octavian G. Duliu
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  4. Nikita S. Yushin
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  5. Svetlana F. Gundorina
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Correspondence to Octavian G. Duliu.

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Zinicovscaia, I., Culicov, O.A., Duliu, O.G. et al. Major- and trace-element distribution in cigarette tobacco, ash and filters. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 316, 629–634 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-5808-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-5808-2

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