Analysis of mainstream and sidestream cigarette smoke particulate matter by laser desorption mass spectrometry.

Laser desorption ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (LDI-FTICRMS) was used to investigate particulate matter (PM) associated with mainstream (MSS) and sidestream cigarette smokes (SSS). The high mass resolution and the high mass measurement accuracy allowed a molecular formula for each detected signal in the 150-500 m/z range to be assigned. The high number of peaks observed in mass spectra required additional data processing to extract information. In this context, Kendrick maps and Van Krevelen diagrams were drawn. These postacquisition treatments were used to more easily compare different cigarette smokes: (i) MSS from different cigarettes and (ii) MSS and SSS from the same cigarette. In both ion detection modes, most of the detected species were found to be attributed to C(6-31)H(2-35)N(0-7)O(0-9) compounds. The compounds observed in the study of SSS appeared to be more unsaturated and less oxygenated than those observed when MSS of the same cigarette was investigated.