Nicotine

Vapour pressure

Link to relevant study record(s)

Reference

Endpoint:

vapour pressure

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Study period:

2014-10-08 to 2014-10-10

Reliability:

1 (reliable without restriction)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: The study was performed in accordance with standard test protocols (OECD 104 resp. EU A.4) in a quality controlled laboratory. The study is valid according to criteria mentioned in the test protocols.

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

OECD Guideline 104 (Vapour Pressure Curve)

Deviations:

no

Qualifier:

according to guideline

Guideline:

EU Method A.4 (Vapour Pressure)

Deviations:

no

GLP compliance:

yes (incl. QA statement)

Type of method:

effusion method: by loss of weight or by trapping vaporisate

Remarks:

weight loss

Temp.:

20 °C

Vapour pressure:

5.81 Pa

Temp.:

25 °C

Vapour pressure:

8.83 Pa

Transition / decomposition:

no

The vapour pressure of nicotine was determined through weight loss in an effusion cell according to Knudsen. The measurement was performed at 30 °C, 40 °C, and 50 °C.

T [°C]	T [K]	p [Pa]	Standard deviation p [Pa]	Relative standard deviation p [%]
30.0	303.2	13.1	0.39	3.0
40.0	313.2	29.6	4.88	16.5
50.0	323.2	58.1	3.58	6.2

The vapour pressure was calculated from

p = [m/(K·A·t)] · [(2·π·R·T)/M]^1/2

with

p	vapour pressure to be determined [Pa]
m	weight loss [kg]
t	time [s]
A	area of aperture = 1.96 · 10^-7m^2
K	correction factor = 0.834
R	8.3144 J/(mol·K)
T	temperature [K]
M	molecular weight of test item = 0.1622 kg/mol

To determine the vapour pressure of nicotine at 20 °C and 25 °C, the common logarithm of the measured vapour pressure (log p) was plotted against 1/T. The data were fitted by linear regression:

y = -3174.3 · x + 11.593; r = -0.9994; r²= 0.9987

with

y	log p; [p] = Pa
x	1/T; [T] = K
r	correlation coefficient
r^2	coefficient of determination

From the regression equation, the following vapour pressures were calculated:

Vapour pressure at 20 °C: 5.81 Pa

Vapour pressure at 25 °C: 8.83 Pa

Conclusions:

The vapour pressure of the test item nicotine was determined at three different temperatures (30 °C, 40 °C, and 50 °C) according to EU method A.4 (effusion method; weight loss).
All experiments showed good reproducibility, giving relative standard deviations of less than 17 % and good correlation. Therefore, the result of the test can be considered valid.

Executive summary:

The vapour pressure of nicotine was determined according to EU method A.4 (effusion method; weight loss).

The vapour pressure was examined at three different temperatures (30 °C, 40 °C, and 50 °C). The common logarithm of the measured vapour pressure (log p) was plotted against 1/T. The data were fitted by linear regression with a correlation coefficient of -0.9994.

For the test item nicotine, the following vapour pressures at 20 °C and at 25 °C were calculated from the regression equation:

Vapour pressure at 20 °C:  5.81Pa

Vapour pressure at 25 °C:  8.83Pa

Description of key information

Study was conducted in a quality controlled laboratory. The results are reliable without restriction. Key study is appropriate for the risk assessment.

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Vapour pressure:

5.81 Pa

at the temperature of:

20 °C