Increasing selenium in cigarettes and smoke: transfer to smoke.

The selenium content of some American tobaccos and cigarettes was determined. The quantities of added selenium that were transferred from cigarettes to inhaled, mainstream smoke were examined for several commercial and experimental cigarettes of different tar levels. For high-tar cigarettes, as much as 10% of added selenium was found in mainstream smoke, while low-tar cigarettes delivered about 3% of added selenium. Transfer rates of selenium to mainstream smoke are reported for various levels of fortification (0-25 micrograms/cigarette) and the rationale for selenium fortification is discussed. Based on highly favorable reports in the literature on the antitumor activity of selenium, the fortification of tobacco with selenium may become a viable way of producing a safer tobacco product. It is proposed that such selenium-fortified smoking products be developed and evaluated extensively.