A Cigarette filter is an element of an cigarette, as well as cigarette paper, capsules and adhesives. The filter could be made out of cellulose acetate fibre, paper or activated charcoal (either being a cavity filter or embedded into the cellulose acetate). Macroporous phenol-formaldehyde resins and asbestos are also found in cigarette filters The acetate and paper change the particulate smoke phase by particle retention (filtration), and finely divided carbon modifies the gaseous phase (adsorption). Filters can reduce “tar” and nicotine smoke yields as much as 50%, having a greater removal rate for other classes of compounds (e.g., phenols), but they are ineffective in filtering toxins for example co. Most factory-made cigarettes are equipped with a filter; people who roll their own can get them from the tobacconist.
Cellulose acetate is made by esterifying bleached cotton or wood pulp with acetic acid. In the three cellulose hydroxy groups designed for esterification, between two and three are esterified by controlling the level of acid (a higher level substitution (DS) 2.35-2.55). The ester is spun into fibers and formed into bundles called filter tow. Flavors (menthol), sweeteners, softeners (triacetin), flame retardants (sodium tungstate), breakable capsules releasing flavors when needed, and additives colouring the cigarette may be included with cigarette filters. The 5 largest manufactures of filter tow are Hoechst-Celanese and Eastman Chemicals in the United States, Rhodia Acetow in Germany, Daicel in Japan, and Courtaulds in the United Kingdom.
Starch glues or emulsion-based adhesives can be used for gluing cigarette seams. Hot-melt and emulsion-based adhesives can be used for filter seams. Emulsion-based adhesives can be used for bonding the filters for the cigarettes.
Cellulose acetate is non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, and weakly flammable. It’s resistance against weak acids which is largely stable to mineral and fatty oils as well as petroleum. It is biodegradable and also the raw material is a renewable natural polymer supposed to find application for other uses in the foreseeable future. Smoked cigarette butts contain 5-7 mg nicotine (about 25% of the total cigarette nicotine content), children ingesting >2 whole cigarettes, 6 cigarette butts or possibly a total of 0.5 mg/kg of nicotine must be admitted to some hospital. Cellulose acetate is hydrophilic and retains the water-soluble smoke constituents, which the majority are irritating (acids, alkali, aldehydes, and phenols), while letting through the lipophilic aromatic compounds.
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