Malays. J. Anal. Sci. Volume 29 Number 2 (2025): 1349

 

Review Article

 

Detection of nicotine and cotinine in keratinized samples: A review

 

Yong Gong Yu1,2, and Muhammad Jefri Mohd Yusof2*

 

1School of Graduate Studies, Postgraduate Centre, Management and Science University, 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

2Department of Diagnostic and Allied Health Science,Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Management and Science University, 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: muhd_jefri@msu.edu.my

 

Received: 19 September 2024; Revised: 6 January 2025; Accepted: 14 February 2025; Published:  24 April 2025

 

Abstract

Nicotine, the primary addictive compound in tobacco and e-cigarette smoke, triggers a cycle of dependence and repeated use. Overconsumption of nicotine can be fatal when ingested at levels exceeding the median lethal dose (LD50) of 6.5-13 mg/kg. Cotinine, the main metabolite of nicotine after consumption, is widely distributed throughout the body. Nicotine has a half-life of 6 to 8 hours, whereas cotinine has a half-life of 16 to 18 hours. The detection of nicotine and cotinine is widely employed in clinical toxicology, forensic toxicology, workplace testing, and related fields. Due to their rapid absorption rates, nicotine and cotinine are frequently analyzed in biological matrices such as blood, urine, and saliva. Nevertheless, their relatively short half-lives have shifted attention to keratinized matrices, including hair and nails, which offer superior utility for long-term monitoring. Drugs and xenobiotics are incorporated into keratinized tissues via systemic circulation during their growth phase, where they remain sequestered, providing a stable medium for retrospective analysis. This review examines contemporary methodologies for the detection and quantification of nicotine and cotinine in keratinized samples, emphasizing their potential in longitudinal toxicological assessments.

 

Keywords: e-cigarette, biomarkers, forensic chemistry, onychology, toxicology

 

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