Evaluation of nicotine by gas chromatography in human hair

ABSTRACT

For data confirmation of tobacco smoking, the use of human hair sample to measure the quantity of nicotine and cotinine by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, was represented. Hair was taken from 20 non-smokers and 20 smokers, cut close to the scalp about 80-120 mg of hair from the head. The hair was incubated in 3 ml of IN NaOH at 100C for 1 hour then the samples were extracted by diethylether. The drugs were separated on [12-m BP-5 capillary column and detected using selected ion monitoring nicotine, m/z 84, cotinine m/z 98] hair from non-smokers and smokers contains nicotine per mg of hair can be used to differentiate smokers from non-smokers. In non- smokers group, the influence of environmental smoke exposure was noted