Treatment of tobacco material

Abstract

A method is provided for treating a tobacco material, comprising treating the tobacco material with an ionic liquid. Also provided is a tobacco material which has been treated by such a method, or a derivative thereof, and a smoking article which comprises a tobacco material treated by such a method.

1 . A method for removing one or more chemical substances from a tobacco material, the method comprising: receiving tobacco material; and treating the tobacco material with an ionic liquid to remove one or more chemical substances, the one or more chemical substances including proteins and/or polyphenols. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method does not substantially reduce an amount of nicotine in the tobacco material. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the ionic liquid is a Deep Eutectic Solvent. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the Deep Eutectic Solvent comprises and/or is formed using choline chloride and a range of hydrogen donors. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to any  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the ionic liquid to the tobacco material is at least 1:1 by weight. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising treating the tobacco material with the ionic liquid for at least 1 hour. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising treating the tobacco material with the ionic liquid at a temperature above ambient temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , the method further comprising separating treated tobacco material from the ionic liquid by filtration and/or centrifugation. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , the method further comprising washing the tobacco material with water following treatment with the ionic liquid. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , the method further comprising treating the tobacco material with: one or more non-ionic liquids; one or more enzymes; one or more surfactants; and/or one or more adsorbents. 
     
     
         11 . A tobacco material that has been treated by a method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . A smoking article comprising the tobacco material according to  claim 11 . 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the method comprises treating the tobacco material with a non-ionic liquid comprising water.