Cadmium Concentration in Cigarette Brands, Tobacco Leaves, and Smokers' Blood Samples

Abstract

A Abstract Aim: This study aimed to determine the cadmium (Cd) concentration in three different types of tobacco leaves, in the blood of the cigarette smokers, and some different imported cigarette brands and/or produced in Iran. Methods: Male volunteers, aged 40-65 year, whose blood samples were collected and classified into four groups of cigarette smokers (N=40), based on the number of cigarettes per day. Serum concentrations of heavy metal were determined using graphite furnace atomic absorption (GFAA). Also, graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy technique was used for determination of all of the samples studied in this project. Results: Mean concentrations of Cd in imported cigarettes brands and produced cigarettes in Iran were 1.89±o.12 µg/g (dry weight) and 1.44±0.8 µg/g (dry weight), respectively. Average levels of Cd in smoker’s blood with 10, 20, 30, and 40 cigarettes per day were 1.31±0.14, 2.42±0.17, 3.18±0.21, and 4.38±0.18 µg per liter, respectively. The mean concentrations of Cd in Hakan, Kasham and Borazjan tobacco were 2.18 ± 0.12, 2.43±0.9, and 2.89±017µ/g (dry weight), respectively. Conclusion: Our presented data in the study showed no significant differences between different cigarette brands produced in Iran, while Rothman cigarette brand had the highest Cd concentrations among the imported cigarettes. The blood Cd concentration in smokers is dependent on the number of cigarette smoked per day. and was about four times higher than non-smokers.

Keywords

• cadmium
• cigarette
• tobacco leaves
• smokers