Biomaterial Database

[Heavy metal content of tobacco products and tobacco smoke]. 1977

C Franzke, and G Ruick, and M Schmidt

The authors determined by means of square-wave polarography the copper, lead, cadmium and zinc contents in the tobacco and smoke of cigarettes (16 brands), cigars (5 brands) and pipe tobacco (3 brands) and discuss their possible actions on the human organism. A comparison of the amount of heavy metals taken up by an average smoker (at most 20 cigarettes per day) with the MAC values adopted in the GDR conveys the impression that the loading with copper, lead and zinc is unimportant, whereas, according to the findings of other authors, the loading with cadmium is but seemingly insignificant.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007854	Lead	A soft, grayish metal with poisonous salts; atomic number 82, atomic weight 207.2, symbol Pb.
D008670	Metals	Electropositive chemical elements characterized by ductility, malleability, luster, and conductance of heat and electricity. They can replace the hydrogen of an acid and form bases with hydroxyl radicals. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)	Metal
D010947	Plants, Toxic	Plants or plant parts which are harmful to man or other animals.	Plants, Poisonous,Plant, Poisonous,Plant, Toxic,Poisonous Plant,Poisonous Plants,Toxic Plant,Toxic Plants
D002104	Cadmium	An element with atomic symbol Cd, atomic number 48, and atomic weight 112.41. It is a metal and ingestion will lead to CADMIUM POISONING.
D003300	Copper	A heavy metal trace element with the atomic symbol Cu, atomic number 29, and atomic weight 63.55.	Copper-63,Copper 63
D012906	Smoke	Visible gaseous suspension of carbon and other particulate matter emitted from burning substances.
D014026	Nicotiana	A plant genus of the family SOLANACEAE. Members contain NICOTINE and other biologically active chemicals; the dried leaves of Nicotiana tabacum are used for SMOKING.	Tobacco Plant,Nicotiana tabacum,Plant, Tobacco,Plants, Tobacco,Tobacco Plants
D015032	Zinc	A metallic element of atomic number 30 and atomic weight 65.38. It is a necessary trace element in the diet, forming an essential part of many enzymes, and playing an important role in protein synthesis and in cell division. Zinc deficiency is associated with ANEMIA, short stature, HYPOGONADISM, impaired WOUND HEALING, and geophagia. It is known by the symbol Zn.