A Cigarette filter is part of a cigarette, as well as cigarette paper, capsules and adhesives. The filter could be made from cellulose acetate fibre, paper or activated charcoal (either like 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 customize the particulate smoke phase by particle retention (filtration), and finely divided carbon modifies the gaseous phase (adsorption). Filters is effective in reducing “tar” and nicotine smoke yields as much as 50%, with a greater removal rate for other classes of compounds (e.g., phenols), but are ineffective in filtering toxins such as dangerous. Most factory-made cigarettes come with a filter; those that roll their unique can purchase them from your tobacconist.
Cellulose acetate is manufactured by esterifying bleached cotton or wood pulp with acetic acid. Of the three cellulose hydroxy groups intended for esterification, between two and three are esterified by controlling 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 on demand, and additives colouring the cigarette smoke may 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 can be used gluing cigarette seams. Hot-melt and emulsion-based adhesives bring filter seams. Emulsion-based adhesives are used for bonding the filters to the cigarettes.
Cellulose acetate is non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, and weakly flammable. It can be resistant to weak acids which is largely stable to mineral and fatty oils in addition to petroleum. It really is biodegradable and the raw material is a renewable natural polymer likely to find application for other uses down the road. 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 even a total of 0.5 mg/kg of nicotine must be admitted to some hospital. Cellulose acetate is hydrophilic and retains the water-soluble smoke constituents, which the majority are irritating (acids, alkali, aldehydes, and phenols), while letting over the lipophilic aromatic compounds.
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