A Cigarette filter is part of a cigarette, along with cigarette paper, capsules and adhesives. The filter could be made from cellulose acetate fibre, paper or activated charcoal (either as being a cavity filter or embedded in the cellulose acetate). Macroporous phenol-formaldehyde resins and asbestos have been found in cigarette filters The acetate and paper get a new particulate smoke phase by particle retention (filtration), and finely divided carbon modifies the gaseous phase (adsorption). Filters can reduce “tar” and nicotine smoke yields approximately 50%, with a greater removal rate for other classes of compounds (e.g., phenols), but they are ineffective in filtering toxins including deadly carbon monoxide. Most factory-made cigarettes have a filter; people that roll their own can get them from your tobacconist.
Cellulose acetate is created by esterifying bleached cotton or wood pulp with acetic acid. From the three cellulose hydroxy groups intended for esterification, between two and three are esterified by controlling the level of acid (amount 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 when needed, and additives colouring the cigarette smoke could be included with cigarette filters. 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 uk.
Starch glues or emulsion-based adhesives bring gluing cigarette seams. Hot-melt and emulsion-based adhesives can be used for filter seams. Emulsion-based adhesives can be used bonding the filters towards the cigarettes.
Cellulose acetate is non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, and weakly flammable. It is proof against weak acids and is also largely stable to mineral and fatty oils as well as petroleum. It can be 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% with the total cigarette nicotine content), children ingesting >2 whole cigarettes, 6 cigarette butts or even a total of 0.5 mg/kg of nicotine needs to be admitted to a hospital. Cellulose acetate is hydrophilic and retains the water-soluble smoke constituents, which the majority are irritating (acids, alkali, aldehydes, and phenols), while letting from the lipophilic aromatic compounds.
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