Tobacco smoke filter and method for removal of aldehydes from tobacco smoke

Abstract

Disclosed are filter materials which are effective for the selective removal of gaseous aldehydes from a cigarette smoke stream. The filter materials comprise a tobacco smoke filter comprising a filter support material and an alkyl acetoacetate that is capable of reacting with and removing aldehydes present in tobacco smoke. Also disclosed are a method of removing gaseous aldehydes from tobacco smoke by contacting tobacco smoke with a filter comprising a filter support material and an alkyl acetoacetate and a smoking article such as a cigarette comprising the tobacco smoke filter described herein.

1 . A filter element comprising a filter support material and an alkyl acetoacetate. 
   
   
       2 . The filter element of  claim 1  wherein the filter support material is a fiber or fibrous material comprising cellulose, a cellulose ester, rayon, lyocell, cotton, wool, glass, carbon, a polyester, a polyamide, acrylic, modacrylic, polypropylene, and polyethylene and the alkyl group of the alkyl acetoacetate contains 4 to 12 carbon atoms. 
   
   
       3 . The filter element of  claim 1  wherein the filter element is a tobacco smoke filter, the filter support material is a fiber or fibrous material comprising cellulose acetate and the alkyl group of the alkyl acetoacetate contains 4 to 12 carbon atoms. 
   
   
       4 . The tobacco smoke filter of  claim 3  wherein the filter contains about 1 to 30 weight percent of the alkyl acetoacetate. 
   
   
       5 . A tobacco smoke filter comprising cellulose acetate fibers and an alkyl acetoacetate wherein the alkyl group contains 4 to 12 carbon atoms. 
   
   
       6 . A tobacco smoke filter according to  claim 5  comprising about 1 to 30 weight percent of the alkyl acetoacetate. 
   
   
       7 . A method of removing a gaseous aldehyde from tobacco smoke by contacting tobacco smoke containing one or more aldehydes with a tobacco smoke filter comprising a filter support material and an alkyl acetoacetate. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the filter support material is a fiber or fibrous material comprising cellulose, a cellulose ester, rayon, lyocell, cotton, wool, glass, carbon, a polyester, a polyamide, acrylic, modacrylic, polypropylene, and polyethylene and the alkyl group of the alkyl acetoacetate contains 4 to 12 carbon atoms. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the tobacco smoke filter comprises cellulose acetate fibers and about 1 to 30 weight percent of an alkyl acetoacetate wherein the alkyl group contains 4 to 12 carbon atoms. 
   
   
       10 . A smoking article comprising a first section comprising burnable tobacco and a second filter plug section comprising a filter element comprising a filter support material and an alkyl acetoacetate. 
   
   
       11 . The smoking article of  claim 10  wherein the filter support material is a fiber or fibrous material comprising cellulose, a cellulose ester, rayon, lyocell, cotton, wool, glass, carbon, a polyester, a polyamide, acrylic, modacrylic, polypropylene, and polyethylene and the alkyl group of the alkyl acetoacetate contains 4 to 12 carbon atoms. 
   
   
       12 . A smoking article comprising a first section comprising burnable tobacco and a second filter plug section comprising cellulose acetate fibers and about 1 to 30 weight percent of an alkyl acetoacetate wherein the alkyl group contains 4 to 12 carbon atoms.