ABSTRACT
The number of compounds identified in tobacco products and their resulting smokes number literally into the thousands and thus it would be almost impossible to compile a complete listing in the framework of the review. Obviously the tobacco combustion process is somewhat dependent on the form of tobacco usage which in turn will influence the resulting smoke composition. Various portions of the tobacco plant can find their way into different tobacco products. Tobacco being used for the production of cigarettes is first usually air cured where some hydrolysis and oxidation of sugars to acids occurs. Various oxides of nitrogen, including nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methyl nitrite, are present in tobacco smoke. Flue-cured tobacco also tends to accumulate phenols and other smoke constituents from the hardwood fires used as a heat source in the drying process. Nicotine levels can also vary significantly in tobacco smoke.
