Abstract :
Nicotine is an alkaloid compound that has the chemical formula
C10H14N2, which is widely contained in plants surnamed Solanaceae. Nicotine is
a chemical substance contained in cigarettes, nicotine is addictive (addiction). The
purpose of this study was to determine the level of nicotine in kretek cigarettes.
The allowable nicotine content in a cigarette according to Government Regulation
no. 81 of 1999 concerning the safety of cigarettes for health, namely 1.5 mg/stem.
The sample used is a sample of kretek cigarettes at different traders. Quantitative
analysis of nicotine was determined by UV spectrophotometric method. From the
results of research with a wavelength (λ) of 260 nm with the equation y= bX+a so
that the correlation coefficient (r) is 0.9963. The results showed that the average
nicotine levels in kretek cigarettes A, B, and C were 0.8889 mg/stem, 1.1719
mg/stem, and 1.8498 mg/stem. This shows that samples A and B meet the
requirements permitted by Government Regulation No. 81 of 1999 concerning the
safety of cigarettes for health, namely 1.5 mg/stem. However, sample C exceeds
the maximum limit.