A Cigarette filter is a component of a cigarette, along with cigarette paper, capsules and adhesives. The filter could be made out of cellulose acetate fibre, paper or activated charcoal (either as a cavity filter or embedded in to the cellulose acetate). Macroporous phenol-formaldehyde resins and asbestos are also used 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 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 such as deadly carbon monoxide. Most factory-made cigarettes come with a filter; those who roll their own can find them from your tobacconist.

Cellulose acetate is made by esterifying bleached cotton or wood pulp with acetic acid. In the three cellulose hydroxy groups intended for esterification, between two and three are esterified by controlling the amount 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 the moment, and additives colouring the cigarettes may be added to cigarette filters. The five largest manufactures of filter tow are Hoechst-Celanese and Eastman Chemicals in the us, Rhodia Acetow in Germany, Daicel in Japan, and Courtaulds in the uk.

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

Cellulose acetate is non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, and weakly flammable. It’s proof against weak acids which is largely stable to mineral and fatty oils as well as petroleum. It is biodegradable along with the raw materials are a renewable natural polymer anticipated to find application for other uses down the road. Smoked cigarette butts contain 5-7 mg nicotine (about 25% from 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, ones lots of people are irritating (acids, alkali, aldehydes, and phenols), while letting with the lipophilic aromatic compounds.
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