Editing Nicotine (section)

===Methods for analysis of enantiomers===
Methods for measuring the two enantiomers are straightforward and include normal-phase liquid chromatography,<ref name="Enantiomeric composition of nicotin"/> liquid chromatography with a chiral column.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hellinghausen G, Roy D, Wang Y, Lee JT, Lopez DA, Weatherly CA, Armstrong DW | title = A comprehensive methodology for the chiral separation of 40 tobacco alkaloids and their carcinogenic E/Z-(R,S)-tobacco-specific nitrosamine metabolites | journal = Talanta | volume = 181 | pages = 132–141 | date = May 2018 | pmid = 29426492 | doi = 10.1016/j.talanta.2017.12.060 }}</ref> However, since methods can be used to alter the two enantiomers, it may not be possible to distinguish tobacco-derived from synthetic nicotine simply by measuring the levels of the two enantiomers. A new approach uses hydrogen and deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance to distinguish tobacco-derived and synthetic nicotine based on differences the substrates used in the natural synthetic pathway performed in the tobacco plant and the substrates most used in synthesis.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Liu B, Chen Y, Ma X, Hu K | title = Site-specific peak intensity ratio (SPIR) from 1D <sup>2</sup>H/<sup>1</sup>H NMR spectra for rapid distinction between natural and synthetic nicotine and detection of possible adulteration | journal = Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry | volume = 411 | issue = 24 | pages = 6427–6434 | date = September 2019 | pmid = 31321470 | doi = 10.1007/s00216-019-02023-6 | s2cid = 197593505 }}</ref> Another approach measures the carbon-14 content which also differs between natural and laboratory-based tobacco.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Cheetham AG, Plunkett S, Campbell P, Hilldrup J, Coffa BG, Gilliland S, Eckard S | title = Analysis and differentiation of tobacco-derived and synthetic nicotine products: Addressing an urgent regulatory issue | journal = PLOS ONE | volume = 17 | issue = 4 | pages = e0267049 | date = 2022-04-14 | pmid = 35421170 | pmc = 9009602 | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0267049 | bibcode = 2022PLoSO..1767049C | veditors = Greenlief CM | doi-access = free }}</ref> These methods remain to be fully evaluated and validated using a wide range of samples.