A Cigarette filter is a component of an cigarette, in addition to cigarette paper, capsules and adhesives. The filter might be made out of cellulose acetate fibre, paper or activated charcoal (either being a cavity filter or embedded in to the cellulose acetate). Macroporous phenol-formaldehyde resins and asbestos have been used in cigarette filters The acetate and paper modify the particulate smoke phase by particle retention (filtration), and finely divided carbon modifies the gaseous phase (adsorption). Filters can help to eliminate “tar” and nicotine smoke yields around 50%, having a greater removal rate for other classes of compounds (e.g., phenols), but are ineffective in filtering toxins including co. Most factory-made cigarettes include a filter; those that roll their own can get them from your tobacconist.
Cellulose acetate is made by esterifying bleached cotton or wood pulp with acetic acid. Of the three cellulose hydroxy groups designed for esterification, between two and three are esterified by governing the level of acid (degree of 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 at will, and additives colouring the tobacco smoke may be put into cigarette filters. The 5 largest manufactures of filter tow are Hoechst-Celanese and Eastman Chemicals in the us, Rhodia Acetow in Germany, Daicel in Japan, and Courtaulds in the United Kingdom.
Starch glues or emulsion-based adhesives are used for gluing cigarette seams. Hot-melt and emulsion-based adhesives bring 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 is resistance against weak acids and is also largely stable to mineral and fatty oils as well as petroleum. It is biodegradable along with 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% in the total cigarette nicotine content), children ingesting >2 whole cigarettes, 6 cigarette butts or a total of 0.5 mg/kg of nicotine needs to be admitted to some hospital. Cellulose acetate is hydrophilic and retains the water-soluble smoke constituents, which lots of people are irritating (acids, alkali, aldehydes, and phenols), while letting with the lipophilic aromatic compounds.
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