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Table 1 Boiling points, toxicity assessments [20] and typical mainstream smoke yields (machine-smoked by following ISO 3308) of commonly measured carbonyl compounds and HCN in cigarette smoke.

From: Reduction of aldehydes and hydrogen cyanide yields in mainstream cigarette smoke using an amine functionalised ion exchange resin

Compound

Boiling Point (oC) [21]

Vapour Pressure at 20°C (mm Hg)

Cancer risk assignment

Non-cancer risk assignment

Yield from Kentucky Reference Cigarette 2R4F [24]

Range of yields from UK cigarettes [25]

Range of yields from a selection of international cigarette brands [26]

     

μg/cigarette under ISO 3308

Formaldehyde

-19.1

>760

IARC 1

RT, CT

22

<2 - 56.3

1.6 - 52.1

Acetaldehyde

20.1

750 [22]

IARC 2B, EPA-PrHC

RT, CT, RDT

624

73 - 872

32 - 643

Propionaldehyde

48

271 [22]

-

RT, CT

52

5.7 - 62.1

3.3 - 60.4

Butyraldehyde

74.8

92 [23]

-

RT, CT

34

5.5 - 51.2

2.7 - 47.5

Acrolein

52.6

210 [22]

-

RT, CT, RDT

61

4.3 - 87.8

2.4 - 61.9

Crotonaldehyde

104

20 [22]

EPA - PoHC

RT, CT

16

<2 - 33.3

1.0 - 28.3

Acetone

56.1

180 [23]

-

RT

265

39.1-360

46 - 335

2-butanone

79.6

78 [22]

-

RT, RDT

63

8.2 - 98.5

3.7 - 78.0

HCN

26

620 [22]

-

RT, CT

109

9.1 - 142

0.8 - 93.9

  1. IARC 1 - Group 1, Carcinogenic to humans; IARC 2B - Group 2B, Possibly carcinogenic to humans. EPA-PrHC - Probable human carcinogen; EPA-PoHC - Possible human carcinogen; RT - Respiratory Toxicant; CT - cardiovascular toxicant; RDT - Reproductive or developmental toxicant.