A Cigarette filter is part of a cigarette, together with cigarette paper, capsules and adhesives. The filter could be made from cellulose acetate fibre, paper or activated charcoal (either as a cavity filter or embedded in the cellulose acetate). Macroporous phenol-formaldehyde resins and asbestos are also found 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 up to 50%, using a greater removal rate for other classes of compounds (e.g., phenols), but they are ineffective in filtering toxins for example deadly carbon monoxide. Most factory-made cigarettes include a filter; those who roll their unique can find them from the tobacconist.
Cellulose acetate is made by esterifying bleached cotton or wood pulp with acetic acid. Of the three cellulose hydroxy groups readily available for esterification, between two and three are esterified by managing the volume 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 at will, and additives colouring the tobacco smoke may be included with cigarette filters. 5 largest manufactures of filter tow are Hoechst-Celanese and Eastman Chemicals in the usa, Rhodia Acetow in Germany, Daicel in Japan, and Courtaulds in england.
Starch glues or emulsion-based adhesives can be used for gluing cigarette seams. Hot-melt and emulsion-based adhesives can be used filter seams. Emulsion-based adhesives are used for bonding the filters towards the cigarettes.
Cellulose acetate is non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, and weakly flammable. It really is resistant to weak acids which is largely stable to mineral and fatty oils in addition to petroleum. It is biodegradable along with the raw materials are a renewable natural polymer expected to find application for other uses in the 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 a total of 0.5 mg/kg of nicotine should be admitted into a hospital. Cellulose acetate is hydrophilic and retains the water-soluble smoke constituents, of which many are irritating (acids, alkali, aldehydes, and phenols), while letting through the lipophilic aromatic compounds.
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