Evaluation of the Tobacco Heating System 2.2. Part 3: Influence of the tobacco blend on the formation of harmful and potentially harmful constituents of the Tobacco Heating System 2.2 aerosol

•Analysis of aerosols from 43 tobacco blends in the Tobacco Heating System (THS)2.2•Quantification of 59 analytes including harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs).•Tobacco blending had minimal impact on HPHC yields in the THS2.2 aerosol.•No chemical evidence was found for tobacco combustion occurring in the THS2.2

The Tobacco Heating System (THS2.2), which uses “heat-not-burn” technology, generates an aerosol from tobacco heated to a lower temperature than occurs when smoking a combustible cigarette. The concentrations of harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) are significantly lower in THS2.2 mainstream aerosol than in smoke produced by combustible cigarettes. Different tobacco types and 43 tobacco blends were investigated to determine how the blend impacted the overall reductions of HPHCs in the THS2.2 mainstream aerosol. The blend composition had minimal effects on the yields of most HPHCs in the aerosol. Blends containing high proportions of nitrogen-rich tobacco, e.g., air-cured, and some Oriental tobaccos, produced higher acetamide, acrylamide, ammonia, and nitrogen oxide yields than did other blends. Most HPHCs were found to be released mainly through the distillation of HPHCs present in the tobacco plug or after being produced in simple thermal reactions. HPHC concentrations in the THS2.2 aerosol may therefore be further minimized by limiting the use of flue- and fire-cured tobaccos which may be contaminated by HPHCs during the curing process and carefully selecting nitrogen rich tobaccos with low concentrations of endogenous HPHCs for use in the tobacco plug blend.