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Heated Tobacco Products
Tobacco heated, not burned, to release an aerosol.
Overview
Heated tobacco products (HTPs) warm processed tobacco below combustion temperature to generate a nicotine-containing aerosol.
Production method
Processed tobacco sticks are inserted into an electronic heating device.
Quality indicators
- Device temperature control
- Tobacco stick quality
- Aerosol consistency
Composition
- Product type
- Processed tobacco stick used with a heating device
Quality features
- Operating principle
- Tobacco is heated without full combustion
- Output generated
- Aerosol
- Temperature range
- Controlled heating ~250–350°C, below full combustion
Core emissions
- Nicotine
- Released through heated tobacco aerosol
- Tar / total particulate matter
- Aerosol particulate matter formed mainly from heated tobacco, water, glycerol and other ingredients
- Carbon monoxide (CO)
- Formed at much lower levels because the product is heated rather than burned
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
- May be present at lower levels from heating processes
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
- Measured levels depend on heating temperature and device design
- Ammonia
- May be present in aerosol depending on tobacco processing and formulation
- Hydrogen cyanide (HCN)
- Expected to be lower because full combustion is avoided
- Sulfur dioxide (SO₂)
- May be present at trace or lower levels depending on tobacco composition
Particulates
- PM2.5
- Fine particles present in aerosol with different formation pathway and composition
- Ultrafine particles
- Ultrafine aerosol particles may be generated during heating
- Soot / black carbon
- Generally absent or much lower because there is no open burning
PAHs
- Benzo[a]pyrene
- May be absent or present at much lower measured levels depending on testing conditions
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
- Formation limited by lower heating temperature
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Benzene
- May be measured in aerosol at lower levels depending on device and tobacco stick
- 1,3-butadiene
- May be present at lower measured levels
- Toluene
- May be present in aerosol depending on tobacco and heating conditions
- Isoprene
- May be present in aerosol at different measured levels
- Acrylonitrile
- May be absent or present at lower measured levels
- Styrene
- May be present in aerosol depending on materials and heating conditions
- Ethylbenzene
- May be present in aerosol at different measured levels
- Xylene
- May be present in aerosol at different measured levels
Carbonyls
- Formaldehyde
- May form during heating of tobacco, glycerol or other ingredients
- Acetaldehyde
- May be present in aerosol from heated tobacco and ingredients
- Acrolein
- May form from heating of glycerol or other organic components
- Crotonaldehyde
- May be present in aerosol at different measured levels
- Propionaldehyde
- May be generated during heating
- Butyraldehyde
- May be generated during heating
- Glyoxal
- May be present in aerosol depending on heating conditions
- Methylglyoxal
- May be present in aerosol from thermal degradation processes
- Acetone
- May be present in aerosol at different levels
Phenolics
- Phenol
- May be present from tobacco heating, usually with different levels
- Catechol
- May be present depending on heating and tobacco composition
- Hydroquinone
- May be present at different measured levels
- Cresols
- May be present depending on tobacco and heating temperature
Nitrogen-containing compounds
- Pyridine
- May be present in aerosol from heated tobacco
- Quinoline
- May be present at different measured levels
- Furan
- May form during heating of organic materials
- Acrylamide
- May be assessed as a thermal degradation product
Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs)
- NNK
- May be present because the product contains tobacco
- NNN
- May be present because the product contains tobacco
- NAT
- May be present because the product contains tobacco
- NAB
- May be present because the product contains tobacco
Metals & trace elements
- Cadmium
- May be present from tobacco or aerosol pathway
- Lead
- May be present from tobacco, device components or aerosol pathway
- Arsenic
- May be present depending on tobacco source
- Chromium
- May be present from tobacco or device components
- Nickel
- May be present from tobacco or device heating components
- Mercury
- May be present depending on tobacco source
- Copper
- May be present from tobacco or device components
- Zinc
- May be present from tobacco or device components
- Aluminium
- May be present from tobacco, packaging or device-related sources
- Iron
- May be present from tobacco or device components
Other constituents
- Glycerol degradation products
- May form during heating of glycerol-containing formulations
- Propylene glycol degradation products
- May form during heating if propylene glycol is used
- Other VOCs
- Broad group of volatile organic compounds in aerosol
- Other semi-volatile organic compounds
- May be present in aerosol droplets
Consumer usage
Marketed to adult smokers as an alternative to cigarettes; not intended for non-smokers.
Regulatory notes
Regulated as a tobacco product in most jurisdictions: age restriction, marketing limits, taxation; specific rules vary.
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