JPH03219859A - Filter for tobacco smoke - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a filter for tobacco smoke capable of selectively adsorbing and removing nicotine in smoke of tobacco without damaging characteristic fragrance and flavor of tobacco by adding gluconic acid to a filter for tobacco smoke. CONSTITUTION:An aqueous solution of gluconic acid is impregnated into or sprayed upon filter tow or filter paper to added gluconic acid to a filter for tobacco smoke. The amount of gluconic acid is properly 20-100wt.% based on one filter. Consequently, since gluconic acid has excellent ability of selectively adsorbing nicotine in tobacco smoke, a filter for tobacco smoke of selectively adsorbing nicotine can be produced.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a tobacco smoke filter,
More specifically, the present invention relates to a tobacco smoke filter characterized by containing gluconic acid as a selective remover of nicotine components in tobacco smoke.

[Prior Art] Recent trends in cigarette consumption indicate that products with a light taste, low amounts of nicotine and tar, and a mild feel are preferred. In order to meet such consumer demands, various improvements have been made to cellulose acetate filters and paper filters that are currently widely used. A simple example is one that attempts to increase the filtration rate of nicotine tar by making the length of the filter longer than conventional products. Furthermore, in the case of cellulose acetate filters, measures have been taken to increase the filtration rate of nicotine cool by making the fibers finer in denier and developing various irregular cross-section systems.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] As the debate on smoking and health issues increases, the aforementioned trend toward milder smoking is expected to continue, but uniformly filtering nicotine tar as in the past will reduce the smoke quality. There is a problem that the smoke volume cannot be satisfied. In order to achieve a satisfactory smoking taste and smoke volume, it is necessary to control the ratio of the amount of nicotine to the amount of tar in the smoke (hereinafter referred to as N/T) to a desired value. It is possible to adjust the N/T in smoke by changing the cigarette paper or using tobacco substitutes. However, these methods have problems.

That is, there are restrictions on the cost of new leaf sets, the availability of leaf labor, etc. Furthermore, to date, there are no tobacco substitutes that are acceptable in terms of taste and are not yet at the stage of practical use.

In order to overcome these problems, research is being conducted on filter additives that change the N/T in smoke, that is, filter additives that selectively adsorb and remove nicotine or tar in smoke. There is still no such thing that has been put into practical use.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the present inventors have conducted intensive studies and research to find a substance that selectively adsorbs nicotine or tar in smoke, and as a result, gluconic acid. They discovered that they had a significantly high ability to selectively adsorb nicotine in cigarette smoke, and completed a cigarette smoke filter that had gluconic acid added and had the ability to selectively adsorb nicotine.

That is, the present invention provides a tobacco smoke filter characterized by containing gluconic acid.

The gluconic acid used in the present invention may be any gluconic acid as long as it satisfies the standards of the Japan Food Additives Official Standards.

Since cigarettes are a luxury item, it is essential that additives for filters be substances that do not impair the original flavor and aroma of cigarettes. Since it is odorless, even if it is included in a cigarette smoke filter, it will not have any adverse effect on the aroma and taste of cigarettes.

Gluconic acid can be added to tobacco smoke filters in the form of powder, but since crystalline gluconic acid is difficult to obtain and is generally sold as a 50% aqueous solution, gluconic acid can be added to the filter tow. It is preferable to impregnate or spray on filter paper, etc.

It is generally preferable to manufacture the filter structure in the form of a dual structure in order to prevent gluconic acid from flowing into the oral cavity during cigarette smoking.

When used in a dual structure, one part of the filter is used by connecting a part to which an aqueous gluconic acid solution is added by impregnation or spraying and a part not containing gluconic acid.

Filter materials to which gluconic acid is added include cellulose acetate filters, rayon filters, polypropylene filters, and paper filters.
It is effective when used on any material.

The amount of gluconic acid added varies depending on the tobacco leaf composition and the filter material, but is preferably 10 to 100% by weight (ratio of gluconic acid weight to the weight of the filter material) per tobacco smoke filter. If the amount of gluconic acid added is less than 10% by weight, the nicotine removal effect will be too small, while if it exceeds 100% by weight, problems will arise in terms of flavor and taste.

[Examples] Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to Examples, but the present invention is not limited to these Examples in any way.

In addition, the ventilation resistance measurement, the measurement of nicotine in the smoking test, and the measurement of tar filtration rate described in the following Examples and Comparative Examples were performed as follows.

A: Ventilation resistance is the pressure loss expressed in water column when the flow rate of air passing through the filter plug or filter chip to be measured is 17.5 ml/sec.

B: The smoking test was conducted using a constant flow type automatic smoking machine with a flow rate of 17.5
m! Automatic smoking was performed under the following conditions: smoke time: 2 seconds, smoking cycle: 60 seconds, and smoking length: 50 seconds, and the mainstream smoke was collected with a Cambridge filter, and the filtration rates of nicotine and cool were measured.

The nicotine and tar filtration rate is determined by the amount of nicotine and tar attached to the filter after smoking (TN and TT, respectively) and the amount of nicotine and tar attached to the Cambridge filter for collecting smoke components of the smoker (C and C1, respectively). ) was measured, and the filtration rate of each filter was determined using the formula below.

The 'I' N + CN filter chip is made of crimped cellulose diacetate tow with a single fiber fineness of 3.3 deniers, a Y-shaped cross section, and a total fineness of 46,000 deniers, to which 6% by weight of triacetin is attached, and the circumference is 24. A cigarette filter rod of 4 m in length, 84 m in length, and airflow resistance of 300 noaH20 was rolled up and cut into 17 m1 filter chips, and a portion of the filter was cut from a commercially available cigarette "Cherry" (manufactured by Japan Tobacco Inc.). It was connected to the tobacco ring and used as Comparative Example 1 sample.

The same filter tip used for the comparison sample above was cut into 5 mm lengths (12n+n+), and a 25% by weight aqueous glucon M aqueous solution was added to the 12-length filter tip, depending on the amount of gluconic acid added to the filter tip. It was added with a syringe in an amount of 25% by weight based on the tow weight in the chip, and then vacuum dried at room temperature (20 to 25°C), and this was connected to a 5-Ryu filter chip to prepare. Next, this filter chip was connected to the tobacco ring of "Cherry" in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1 to obtain an Example 1 sample.

These samples were smoked using an automatic smoking machine and the filtration rates of nicotine, tar, and water were measured. Table 1 summarizes the results.

Table 1 Table In exactly the same manner as in Example 1, the amount of gluconic acid aqueous solution added was varied, and the filter chips were prepared so that the amount of gluconic acid added to the filter chip was 50 and 100% by weight based on the tow weight in the chip. It was prepared and connected to the tobacco ring part to prepare the samples of Examples 2 and 3.

After smoking with an automatic smoking machine in the same manner as in Example 1, the filtration rates of nicotine, tar, and water were measured. The results are summarized in Table 2.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the cigarette smoke filter containing gluconic acid of the present invention, nicotine in cigarette smoke can be selectively adsorbed and removed.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A tobacco smoke filter characterized by adding gluconic acid. 2. The amount of gluconic acid added is 20~ per filter.
The tobacco smoke filter according to claim 1, which is 100% by weight.