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Filter tow

A Cigarette filter is an element of your cigarette, together 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 into the cellulose acetate). Macroporous phenol-formaldehyde resins and asbestos have been utilized 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 is able to reduce “tar” and nicotine smoke yields around 50%, which has a greater removal rate for other classes of compounds (e.g., phenols), however are ineffective in filtering toxins including dangerous. Most factory-made cigarettes include a filter; those that roll their very own can get them from a tobacconist.


Cellulose acetate is created by esterifying bleached cotton or wood pulp with acetic acid. With the three cellulose hydroxy groups designed for esterification, between two and three are esterified by manipulating 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 the moment, and additives colouring the cigarette could be included with cigarette filters. 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 england.

Starch glues or emulsion-based adhesives are used for gluing cigarette seams. Hot-melt and emulsion-based adhesives can be used filter seams. Emulsion-based adhesives are used for bonding filters to the cigarettes.

Cellulose acetate is non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, and weakly flammable. It really is resistant against weak acids and it is largely stable to mineral and fatty oils along with petroleum. It can be biodegradable and also the raw materials are a renewable natural polymer supposed to find application for other uses in the 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 even a total of 0.5 mg/kg of nicotine must be admitted to a hospital. Cellulose acetate is hydrophilic and retains the water-soluble smoke constituents, that many are irritating (acids, alkali, aldehydes, and phenols), while letting from the lipophilic aromatic compounds.
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