Experiment 9:

DETERMINATION OF AIR POLLUTANTS

University of San Carlos

CHEM 1103L
 University of San Carlos

DETERMINATION OF AIR POLLUTANTS (NOx) IN CIGARETTE SMOKE

A Lab Report Presented

To

Ms. Jinky Derla

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements of

Chemistry for Engineers Laboratory

Presented by

Kenneth James Montellano

Tristan Lepiten

December 2023
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE.............................................................................................................................i

TITLE PAGE..............................................................................................................................ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS..........................................................................................................iii

Objective......................................................................................................................................1

Materials and Apparatus...........................................................................................................1

Procedure and Observation.......................................................................................................2

Conclusion...................................................................................................................................5

Theoretical Background.............................................................................................................5

Bibliography.................................................................................................................................8
Objectives

To measure and identify the quantity of nitric oxide in cigarette smoke using the UV-vis spectrophotometer
and its role and how it is formed.

Materials and Apparatus

Apparatus

Test tube with sidearm Micropipette, 10uL – 1 mL

Luer Lock Syringe, 60-mL capacity 10-mL volumetric flasks – 6pcs

UV-vis spectrophotometer test tube with cork

Alcohol lamp or Bunsen Burner wash bottle

Materials

Stock nitrite standard solution (1.500 g NaNO2 /L= 1500 ug NO2-/mL stock solution)

Cigarette Stick (Mighty)

NOx indicator mixture, 10 mL (contains 5.00g anhydrous sulfanilic acid and 0.020g NED/L solution)
Procedure and Observation

Preparing the Gas Sample

Figure 1: The extraction of Cigarette Smoke

10L of the NOx indicator mixture was extracted using a 60-mL gas-tight syringe. The NOx indicator
mixture contains 5.00 g anhydrous sulfanilic acid and 0.020 g N-(1-naphthyl)- ethylenediamine (NED) per Liter
solution. Any air from the syringe was expelled without spilling the indicator solution. The syringe was connected
to the sidearm of the test tube and a lighted Mighty cigarette stick was dropped inside it with lighted side up. It was
then covered with cork and 40 mL of cigarette smoke was collected into the syringe, by pulling the plunger to the 50
mL mark. The syringe was withdrawn and capped with paraffin film to block the smoke from escaping. The solution
was shaken in the syringe for two minutes and allowed the cigarette smoke to react with the solution for at least 30–
45 minutes.

Figure 2: Time recording of the solution

After 30-45 minutes, the solution was transferred to a test tube. It can be observed that the color of the
solution changes. The Mighty cigarette smoke solution showed a pale pink solution. This happened when sulfanilic
acid and NED are added to either a nitrite standard solution or a sample solution containing nitrite, a pink-colored
molecule develops. Furthermore, the concentration of this pink-colored molecule is directly proportional to the
concentration of the NOx in the solution.

Figure 3: Six Nitrite Working Stock Solution Figure 4: The NOx Solution

Preparation of Nitrite Working Stock Solution

Figure 5: The UV-vis spectrophotometer

The NOx indicator mixture was also added to a cuvette to auto zero the instrument (UV- Vis
Spectrophotometer) and it served as the “blank”. The solutions were then transferred into the cuvettes and their
absorbance were measured in a spectrophotometer set at 550.0 nm. The absorbance of the blank is 0. The
absorbance of the Mighty sample recorded an absorbance of 0.179.
 Figure 6: Placing the Nitrite stock solution in separate cuvettes

Figure 7: Placing the cuvettes inside the chamber

Six nitrite (NO2-) working stock solution and calibration standards were prepared which are: 0.0075μg NO2-
/mL, 0.0150μg NO2-/mL, 0.0225μg NO2-/mL, 0.0300μg NO2-/mL, 0.0375 μg NO2-/mL, and 0.0600μg NO2-/mL and
placed in separate cuvettes and its absorbance was recorded. Their respected absorbance is reflected in the table
above. This is graphed and the equation for the best fit line was determined, y = 0.064x + 0.0519 and used to
calculate the concentration of NO2- in the sample.

The concentration of NO x in the unknown Mighty solution is 0.0153 μg NO2-/mL and found that NOx in
the gaseous sample is 5.32μg NO2-/L. This supported the inference made on the concentration of NOx in the solution
with the color developed by the sample solution, Mighty.
Conclusion

Using a UV Visible Spectrophotometer to identify air pollutants in cigarette smoke, particularly nitrogen
oxides (NOx), provides important information on the components of smoking and its possible health risks. The
findings highlight the significant contribution of cigarette smoking to ambient air pollution due to the release of NOx
compounds. Elevated levels of these pollutants in the air can have adverse effects on the environment and human
health. NOx compounds are known to be harmful air pollutants that can exacerbate respiratory problems and
contribute to various health issues upon inhalation. Higher concentrations of NOx in cigarette smoke indicate
increased health risks for both smokers and individuals exposed to secondhand smoke. The Philippine Clean Air Act
of 1999, officially known as Republic Act No. 8749, is a comprehensive environmental law aimed at protecting and
preserving the country's air quality. It achieves this by setting clear standards for air quality and emissions,
establishing a robust regulatory framework for enforcement, implementing measures to control emissions from
various sources, and promoting public awareness and engagement in managing air pollution issues. In summary, the
significance of assessing and understanding the composition of pollutants emitted by tobacco products emphasizes
the urgency for implementing strategies to reduce smoking-related air pollutants, safeguard public health, and
mitigate the environmental impact of smoking on a larger scale.

Theoretical Background

The determination of NOx and air pollutants in cigarette smoke involves a lot of concepts including: the combustion
and formation of NO2, and its health implications.

1. Cigarette

A cigarette is a little cylinder made of thin paper coiled around finely chopped tobacco leaves for
smoking. Smoke is breathed from the end of the cigarette that is held in or close to the mouth after it has
been ignited at one end, causing the cigarette to smolder.

2. Types of NO2

Nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are common nitrogen oxides found in cigarette
smoke.

3. Formation of NO2

Ozone (O3) can go on to react with nitric oxide (NO) to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and oxygen:
 At the high temperatures found in a car’s combustion chamber, nitrogen and oxygen from the air
react to form nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2):

The nitric oxide (NO) emitted in the car exhaust is gradually oxidized to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in
ambient air. This mixture of NO and NO2 is often referred to as NOx. When NOx reacts with volatile
organic compounds in the atmosphere in the presence of sunlight, tropospheric ozone forms, as seen in this
simplified chemical reaction:

4. Health Implications

“Direct and indirect inhalation of cigarette smoke has a negative impact on human health since it
releases air pollutants 10 times more than diesel exhaust.” According to Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention

The Cancer Research UK states that, Cigarette smoke contains more than 5,000 active, poisonous,
mutagenic, and carcinogenic chemicals. The 70 known carcinogens among these constituents are most
prevalent in tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide.

The following are the absorbance reading taken at different concentration of NO2 standard:

Figure 8: The Calibration Curve of Nitrate (NO2-) Standards Concentration and Absorbance Readings
 With this data, the relation between the absorbance (y-axis) and the concentration (x-axis) proves that the
greater the absorbance of nitrate the greater its concentration which implies a direct proportional relationship.

The sample value can be converted to the concentration of NO2 in the gaseous sample using the equation:

Where:

 μg NO2-/mL is the absorbance reading of the cigarette sample

Cancer Research UK. “What’s in a Cigarette?” Cancer Research UK, CRUK, 21 Jan. 2019,
www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/smoking-and-cancer/whats-in-a-
cigarette-0.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “CDC - Fact Sheet - Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking -
Smoking & Tobacco Use.” Smoking and Tobacco Use, U.S. Department of Health & Human
Services, 29 Oct. 2021,
www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/index.htm.