Course Inquiry Project

“Determining the Nicotine Content of Various Brands of Cigarettes”

Group 2

Bautista, Joshua

Bauzon, Mary

Butalid, Diane

Caasi, Jane

Cabial, Reield

Calpo, Rizelle

1B-BC
I. Introduction

In recent years, cigarettes have been prevalent. It has also been studied that smoking

results to cancer and other diseases. We propose this project to determine the liquid nicotine

content and concentrations of the different brands of cigarettes and with the results, we hope to

come up with solutions pertaining to lessening the nicotine content of cigars.

Nicotine is a chemical that contains nitrogen. It is made up of several plants, commonly

the tobacco plant. Nicotiana tabacum, the type of nicotine found in tobacco plants, comes from

the nightshade family. The cigarettes fumes are known to contain more than 4,000 chemicals

compounds, among them nicotine, carbon monoxide, respiratory irritants, and others. Nicotine is

an addictive and potentially dangerous stimulant, but often the actual nicotine content differs

significantly from manufacturers’ labelling, due in part to lack of regulation for these products. A

titration method is used for this experiment.

Titration is the slow addition of one solution of a known concentration (called a titrant) to

a known volume of another solution of unknown concentration until the reaction reaches

neutralization, which is often indicated by a color change. Many organic bases which are too

weak to be titrated in water can be successfully titrated in glacial acetic acid. The titrating agent

is usually a 0.1N solution of perchloric acid in glacial acetic acid. Perchloric acid is used in

preference to either sulfuric or hydrochloric acid because it is a stronger acid in this medium.

Ionization of acid potassium phthalate to potassium biphthalate ions occurs in both aqueous and

acetic acid media. In water, it acts as a weak acid by virtue of partial ionization to hydrogen and

phthalate ions on the other hand, in glacial acetic acid, the biphthalate ion is a base and can be

titrated with strong acids.

Ii. Objectives

1. To determine the nicotine content in various brands of cigarettes

2. To perform titration experimentation in determining the amount of nicotine in a

cigarette.

3. Measure the concentration of NaOH and HClO4 solutions after performing the

titration experiments after it gives a reaction.

III. Procedure

A. Preparation of NaOH solution

1. Measure 100 mL of the NaOH solution with unknown concentration in a

graduated cylinder. (This will serve as solution A)

2. Transfer the NaOH solution in a burette then observe its initial reading
3. Measure 50 mL of 0.5M oxalic acid solution and transfer it into an Erlenmeyer

flask. Thereafter, use a dropper and put two drops of phenolphthalein, which will

serve as an indicator.
4. Perform the titration experiment and measure the amount of NaOH solution

dispensed right after the solution turns light pink.

5. Calculate the concentration of the NaOH using the obtained data.

B. Preparation of HClO4 solution

1. Dilute 0.9 mL of the original HClO4 solution to 100 mL of distilled water. (This

will serve as solution B)

2. Transfer the HClO4 solution in a burette and observe its initial reading.
3. Measure 100 mL of the NaOH solution (Solution A) and transfer it into an

Erlenmeyer flask. Then, add two drops of phenolphthalein, which will serve as an

indicator.
 4. Perform the titration experiment and measure the amount of HClO 4 solution

dispensed right after the solution turns colourless.

5. Calculate the concentration of the HClO4 solution using the obtained data.

C. Preparation of 0.1N anhydrous solution of HClO4 in acetic acid.

1. From the results obtained from the preparation of HClO4 solution, determine the

concentration of the original HClO4 solution and the amount of water it contains.
2. Then, compute for the amount of the original HClO 4 solution needed in order to

prepare 1L of 0.1N HClO4 solution in acetic acid.

3. Mix all the computed amount of the original HClO 4 solution, the computed

amount of acetic anhydride, (to eliminate the H2O content) and the glacial acetic

acid up to 1L. (Solution C)

4. Test the absence of water in solution C through the aid of the anhydrous CuSO 4

test.
a) Drop 1 mL of solution C on 1g of anhydrous CuSO4
b) The color will remain white if the solution C is absolute anhydrous, but

will turn blue when the solution is not thoroughly anhydrous.

D. Titration of Solution C with potassium biphtalate in glacial acetic acid.

1. Prepare 2 different potassium biphtalate in acetic acid solution:

Set Potassium biphtalate Glacial acetic acid

1 0.11g 25 mL
2 0.13g 25 mL

2. Perform the titration experiment using the solution C as the analyte and this time

using a crystal violet as an indicator.

3. Get the average concentration of solution C
 E. Titration for determining the amount of Nicotine
1. Liquid nicotine extracted from different brands of cigarettes was used as the

analyte and solution C as the titrant.

2. Record the dispensed amount of solution C and compute for the concentration of

nicotine.
3. Calculate the mass of the solute (nicotine) using the obtained concentration.
4. Calculate the percentage error of the obtained value to the actual value of each

concentration of different cigarette brands.

IV. Data Sheet

A. Preparation of NaOH solution

__ NaOH + __ H2C2O4 ____ _________ + ____ __________

Concentration
Titrant Volume (mL)
Molarity (M) Normality (N)

Oxalic Acid

Volume (mL) Concentration

Analyte Molarity Normality
Initial Final Dispensed
(M) (N)
NaOH
B. Preparation of HClO4 solution

__ NaOH + __ HClO4 ____ _________ + ____ __________

Titrant Volume (mL) Concentration
Molarity (M) Normality (N)

NaOH

Volume (mL) Concentration

Analyte Molarity Normality
Initial Final Dispensed
(M) (N)
HClO4

C. Preparation of 0.1N anhydrous solution of HClO 4 in acetic acid.

D. Titration of Solution C with potassium biphtalate in glacial acetic acid.

Concentration
Titrant Mass Volume (mL)
Molarity (M) Normality (N)
0.11g
KHP
0.13g

Analyte Set Volume (mL) Concentration

 Initial Average
Final Dispensed Molarity Normality
Molarity Normality (M) (N)
Anhydrous 1
HClO4
Solution
2

E. Titration for determining the amount of Nicotine

Concentration
Titrant Volume (mL)
Molarity (M) Normality (N)
Anhydrous HClO4
Solution

BRAND X
Volume (mL) Concentration
Analyte Molarity Normality
Initial Final Dispensed
(M) (N)
Nicotine

Percentage
Error

BRAND Y
Volume (mL) Concentration
Analyte Molarity Normality
Initial Final Dispensed
(M) (N)
 Nicotine

Percentage
Error

BRAND Z
Volume (mL) Concentration
Analyte Molarity Normality
Initial Final Dispensed
(M) (N)
Nicotine

Percentage
Error

V. References
Calafat, A.M. et al. (2003). Determination of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide yields in the

mainstream smoke of selected international cigarettes. National Center for Environmental

Health, Atlanta USA. 13:45–51. doi: 10.1136/tc.2003.003673

Dr. Yar, S. (2007). Method of Analysis and Assay: Non-Aqueous Titration. Dept. of

Pharmaceutical Chemistry, New Delhi. 110062.

Pagano, T., Bida, M. R., & Robinson, R. J. (2015). Laboratory Activity for the Determination of

Nicotine in Electronic Cigarette Liquids using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

Journal of laboratory chemical education, 3(3), 37-43.

Seaman, W & Allen, E. (2002). Asid-Base Titrations in Glacial Acetic Acid. Acid Potassium as

Primary Standard and Behavior of Crystal Violet Indicator. DOI: 10.1021/ac60052a013

Viera, C. et al. (2010). Quantification of Nicotine in Commercial Brand Cigarettes. The

International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Vol. 38, No. 5, pp. 330–334.

Retrieved from: https://iubmb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/bmb.20420