Evaluation de la concentration de nicotine et de cotinine urinaires chez un groupe de fumeurs actifs et un groupe de << fumeurs passifs >>, par chromatographie liquide haute performance (HPLC) utilisant une methode d'extraction en phase solide (SPE)/Evaluation of urinary levels of nicotine and cotinine, in active and passive groups of smokers, by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a solid phase extraction method (SPE)

This paper evaluates the urinary levels of nicotine and cotinine and the level of carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) in active (n = 22) and passive (n = 22) groups of smokers, in order to determine the severity of tobacco impregnation. Materials and methods: The levels of nicotine and cotinine in urine were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography using the solid phase extraction method; the level of carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO) was measured by UV-VIS spectrophotometry. These results demonstrate that cotinine and nicotine are more suitable for assessing the intensity of tobacco exposure than HbCO. The measured levels of nicotine and cotinine in passive smokers reveal the fact that this group of people faces a high risk due to tobacco exposure; thus, restrictive measures need to be taken to protect this group.