REDUCING THE HARMFUL EFFECT OF TOBACCO AND TOBACCO SMOKE
Main researcher
: BELJO, JURE (192345) Assistants
VULETIĆ, NIKOLA (53995)
PEROVIĆ, ĐURĐICA (36320)
TOMIĆ, LIDIJA (50031)
FALAK, DRAGAN (137085)
TRIPLAT, JOSIP (50494)
ŠMALCELJ, BLAŽICA (47594)
Type of research: applied Duration from: 03/01/93. to 02/15/98. Papers on project (total): 0
Institution name: Duhanski institut, Zagreb (92)
Communication
Phone: 385 (0)1/228-222; 228-225
Fax: 385 (0)1/2332-850
Summary: Reducing the harmful components of tobacco and tobacco
smoke is one of the major tasks in research on tobacco for smoking. The
aim of this project is to investigate how chemical components considered
harmful occur and how they can be reduced, both in tobacco and in tobacco
smoke. Research on the project included agronomic field experiments as
well as analytical investigations in the laboratory. It was determined
that the nicotine content, which is the major chemical component of
tobacco, depends to a great extent on the equilibrium moisture content in
the soil. Therefore the nicotine content of tobacco can be changed by
changing the weater - air regimen in the soil. The genetic basis for the
nitrogen and nitrates content in tobacco was analyzed. Nitrogen and
nitrates are the precursors of some harmful substances. It was found that
there are cultivars with a genetic predisposition for a high content of
these components, but their content can be changed using appropriate
agro-technical measures. The degree of correlation between the visual
quality of tobacco and its chemical composition was also investigated. An
analysis of the smoking properties of tobacco showed that the aeration of
cigarettes has a considerable impact on the content of harmful substances
in the smoke. An agro-technical experiment involving different cultivars
is under way to establish the contribution of the genetic basis and of
agro-technical measures to the chemical and smoking properties of tobacco
and the possibilities of their modification. The development of new
germplasm with hereditary lower contents of some chemical components was
started by developing hybrids of previously defined cultivars. A selection
procedure is under way which will lead to the selection of appropriate
genotypes.
Research goals: The aim of the research in this project is to obtain
a finalproduct with a reduced content of hramful components, such as
tarand nicotine, without affecting the smoking quality. Work on theproject
is complex, and the final result depends on thesuccessful completion of a
number of mutually interconnectedbiological and technological operations.
The realization of theproject implies the following: - obtaining cultivars
which are, due to their genetic make up,predisposed to a lower content of
alkaloids and condensate as themajor source of harmful components of
tobacco and tobacco smoke; - determining the optimum growing procedures
(fertilization,plant density, irrigation, topping) which contribute to
reducingthe harmful components of tobacco; - determining the optimum
relationship between cigaretteventilation the content of the more
important chemicalsubstances, and physiological satisfaction in smoking.
The results obtained will enhance the competitiveness of tobaccoand
tobacco products on the domestic and export markets. Other information about the project.