Cigarette filter which removes carcinogens and toxic chemicals

Details Cigarette filter which removes carcinogens and toxic chemicals Cigarette filter which removes carcinogens and toxic chemicals

1999-02-18

2001-08-14

Silverman, Stanley S. (Department: 1731)

Tobacco

Smoke separator or treater

Having a polymer

C131S340000, C131S339000, C131S341000, C131S344000, C131S345000, C055S318000, C055S383000, C493S039000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06273095

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to filters for use with tobacco products. In particular, the present invention relates to a filter which selectively removes toxic and carcinogenic compounds from tobacco smoke passing through it, but permits most of the lower molecular weight species, such as nicotine, to pass through.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
People begin smoking cigarettes for a variety of reasons. Smoking has been portrayed as being heroic, cool and as enhancing sexual appeal. For some people, smoking also serves to soothe tension, anxiety, or loneliness. However, as is commonly known, cigarette smoke contains the addictive compound nicotine. Addiction to nicotine makes it very difficult for smokers to stop smoking cigarettes, even though many realize that smoking will adversely affect their health.
The serious negative health effects of smoking are generally caused by chemicals in tobacco smoke other than nicotine. Among these are polynuclear aromatic compounds, which are carcinogens suspected to cause or contribute to a variety of cancers. The formation of polynuclear aromatic compounds in cigarette smoke is the result of incomplete combustion of the cigarette due to short burning resident time. Furthermore, polynuclear aromatic compounds harm not only smokers, but also the surrounding environment and people who inhale them as second-hand smoke. Furthermore, tobacco smoke also contains cyanide, a highly toxic compound which causes adverse health effects in smokers and those inhaling second-hand smoke.
The tobacco industry has attempted to alleviate the problems caused by polynuclear aromatics and cyanide by incorporating filters into cigarettes to remove these compounds when a smoker inhales. These filters are typically made of cellulose-based materials. The filters are effective in removing some of the toxic chemicals from tobacco smoke, but a substantial amount still passes through the filter. Consequently, there exists a need for improved filters for cigarettes and other tobacco products which are more efficacious in removing toxic and carcinogenic chemicals from tobacco smoke. Moreover, to encourage use of such a filter, the filter should not interfere with those aspects of smoking which smokers desire, including the taste and nicotine content of the smoke.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention advantageously provides a filter which selectively removes polynuclear aromatic compounds and cyanide from tobacco smoke, while permitting most of the nicotine and flavor-enhancing molecules in the smoke to pass through. Because of this, people smoking tobacco products who use the filter of the present invention may enjoy the smoking experience, but with less exposure to the dangerous components of tobacco smoke.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a polyurethane foam filter for removing polynuclear aromatic compounds and cyanide from cigarette smoke. The polyurethane foam filter comprises a tubular body with a proximal and distal end. The tubular body is formed out of middle-density cellular polyurethane foam. The foam is pre-treated to increase the number of available binding sites for absorbing polynuclear aromatics and cyanide. When used with a cigarette having a conventional filter, the polyurethane foam filter having an uncompressed volume of about 2 cubic centimeters absorbs about 60% of the polynuclear aromatic compounds and cyanide contained in cigarette smoke which contact the filter, but permits about 75% of the contacting nicotine in the smoke to pass through.
In another embodiment, a polyurethane foam filter of the present invention is substantially substituted for a conventional cigarette filter and is incorporated into the body of the cigarette as part of the manufacturing process. In this embodiment, a polyurethane foam filter, which prior to incorporation into the cigarette has an uncompressed volume of about 2-cubic centimeters, absorbs at least 74% of the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons contacting the filter in the cigarette, but permits about 75% of the nicotine contacting the filter to pass through. In another embodiment, a similarly sized polyurethane foam filter of the present invention is completely substituted for a conventional cigarette filter and absorbs at least 90% of the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons which pass through the filter.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improved filter for removing carcinogenic and toxic compounds from tobacco smoke. The invention comprises a pre-treated polyurethane foam body which absorbs 30-45% of contacting total polynuclear aromatic compounds per cubic centimeter of uncompressed polyurethane foam material forming the filter, but which permits more than 30% of the contacting nicotine to pass through unabsorbed per cubic centimeter of polyurethane foam material. The improved filter having these properties may be incorporated into a cigarette body, a cigar or a pipe body.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pre-treated polyurethane foam filter which absorbs in aggregate 60%-90% of 2-methylnaphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, dibenzofuran, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, carbazole, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene and chrysene in tobacco smoke passing through the filter per 2 cubic centimeters of uncompressed foam used to make the filter.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making a safer cigarette. The method comprises providing a middle-density cellular polyurethane foam (PUF), which may then be formed into a cylindrical body to form a filter. The PUF filter is then pre-treated by cleaning to increase the polynuclear aromatic compound and cyanide binding sites. Alternately, the pre-treating step may occur before the PUF filter is shaped into the cylindrical body. The cylindrical body is incorporated into a cigarette as a filter such that when the cigarette is lit, smoke will pass through the PUF filter prior to being inhaled by a smoker.


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