GC-MS determination of nicotine in heterogeneous tobacco-free products: ISO/IEC 17025 validation and adaptation of CORESTA RM No. 62.

Authors

Costanza Majorani, Laura Micheli, Antonio Licheri, Margherita Stampi, Chiara Rinaldi, Luca Fava, Sonia D'Ilio, Claudia Leoni

Published in

Analytical methods : advancing methods and applications. Oct 03, 2026. Epub Oct 03, 2026.

Abstract

The rapid diversification of tobacco-free nicotine products has introduced chemically heterogeneous carrier matrices, including cellulose-based materials, herbal systems, and polymer-bound formulations such as nicotine polacrilex, which can significantly affect nicotine extraction and quantification. In this study, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method based on CORESTA Recommended Method No. 62 was adapted and validated for the determination of nicotine in tobacco-free products. Validation was performed using both matrix-matched samples (nicotine sticks) and procedural blank solutions (nicotine pouches), reflecting the analytical challenges associated with heterogeneous matrices. The method showed excellent linearity (r > 0.999), recoveries of 87-94% and 80-111% for sticks and pouches, respectively, precision below 10% RSD, and limits of quantification of 0.035-0.038 mg g^-1. Expanded measurement uncertainty was estimated at approximately 9-10% (k = 2). The method was successfully applied to commercial nicotine pouches and nicotine sticks, revealing substantial discrepancies between declared and measured nicotine contents, largely attributable to product variability rather than analytical limitations. A nicotine polacrilex-containing formulation was evaluated under multiple extraction conditions, demonstrating that standard alkaline extraction enables efficient release of polymer-bound nicotine without the need for more aggressive treatments. The proposed approach provides a robust and transferable analytical framework for nicotine determination in chemically diverse tobacco-free matrices, supporting both product characterisation and regulatory assessment.

PMID:
42827026
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 03 Oct 2026.

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