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Cigarette filter

A Cigarette filter is a component of an cigarette, together with cigarette paper, capsules and adhesives. The filter might be created from cellulose acetate fibre, paper or activated charcoal (either as a cavity filter or embedded to the cellulose acetate). Macroporous phenol-formaldehyde resins and asbestos seemed to be utilized 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 is able to reduce “tar” and nicotine smoke yields around 50%, with a greater removal rate for other classes of compounds (e.g., phenols), however are ineffective in filtering toxins including co. Most factory-made cigarettes have a filter; those who roll their own can get them from your tobacconist.


Cellulose acetate is manufactured by esterifying bleached cotton or wood pulp with acetic acid. From the three cellulose hydroxy groups designed for esterification, between two and three are esterified by governing the quantity of acid (level 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 cigarette smoke might be combined 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 britain.

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 bonding the filters on the cigarettes.

Cellulose acetate is non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, and weakly flammable. It can be resistant against weak acids and is also largely stable to mineral and fatty oils in addition to petroleum. It is biodegradable along with the raw materials are 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 perhaps a total of 0.5 mg/kg of nicotine ought to be admitted into a hospital. Cellulose acetate is hydrophilic and retains the water-soluble smoke constituents, which many are irritating (acids, alkali, aldehydes, and phenols), while letting over the lipophilic aromatic compounds.
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