The photoelectric aerosol sensor as a fast-responding and sensitive detection system for cigarette smoke analysis

The combination of the photoelectric aerosol sensor (PAS) and the time programmed sampling of small aerosol volumes within a cigarette puff allows the quantitative time-resolved determination of photoemitting substances in the aerosol. All photoemitting substances contribute to the measured photoelectric (PE) signal. In this comparative study it is shown that the PAS signal correlates well (r=0.94, n=20) with the BaP content. The benzo-a-pyrene (BaP) amounts of the cigarette smoke aerosol were separately determined by in situ synchronous fluorimetry on TLC plates. The absolute detection limit is about 50 pg.