ARSENIC, CADMIUM, COPPER, LEAD, AND ZINC CONCENTRATIONS IN CIGARETTESPRODUCED IN KOREA AND THE UNITED-KINGDOM

Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations in different cigarette brands sold in Kor ea and the United Kingdom were determined by inductively coupled plasm a atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Average values of As, Cd, Cu , Ph and Zn in Korean cigarettes are 0.23, 1.02, 7.73, 1.35 and 38.5 m u g g(-1) (dw) and those in the UK cigarettes are 0.12, 0.90, 13.0, 0. 74 and 31.9 mu g g(-1) (dw), respectively. It is shown that Korean cig arettes contain more As, Pb and Zn than the UK cigarettes, whilst rela tively lower Cu contents are found in Korean cigarettes (p < 0.05). Th e Cd concentration in cigarettes is not significantly different betwee n the two countries. The amount of Cd inhaled from smoking one pack of 20 cigarettes is estimated to be 1.54 to 3.08 mu g from the Korean ci garettes and 1.32 to 2.64 mu g from the UK cigarettes, corresponding t o 10 to 20% of the total Cd content in the cigarettes. The quantity of Pb inhalation is estimated to be 0.40 to 1.19 mu g and 0.22 to 0.65 m u g from Korean and the UK cigarettes, respectively. Comparisons are m ade with As, Cd, Cu, Fb and Zn concentrations in cigarettes reported i n previous studies.