Incorporation of ammonia release compounds in smoking articles

Abstract

A tobacco smoking mixture including an ammonia-release compound adapted to be formed into a lit-end cigarette is provided. The ammonia-release compound is incorporated in or on tobacco cut filler in an amount effective to reduce the cytotoxicity, and/or selective smoke constituents of cigarette smoke. Exemplary ammonia-release compounds include ammonium acetate, ammonium hydroxide, hexammine cobalt (III) chloride, hexammine cobalt (III) acetate, and combinations thereof. The ammonia-release compounds can release ammonia at temperatures between about 60° C. and about 400° C. Ammonia-release compounds can be combined with additives, such as glycerine, cobalt acetate, copper (II) acetate, zinc acetate, other metal salts or combinations thereof, to further reduce the cytotoxicity of cigarette smoke.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a cigarette comprising: (i) incorporating an ammonia-release compound in a tobacco cut filler, wherein the ammonia-release compound comprises ammonium hydroxide and cobalt acetate, copper acetate, zinc acetate, or combination thereof; (ii) providing the tobacco cut filler to a cigarette making machine to form a tobacco column; (iii) placing a cigarette wrapper around the tobacco column to form a tobacco rod of a cigarette; and (iv) optionally attaching a cigarette filter to the tobacco rod using tipping wrapper. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein incorporating the ammonia-release compound comprises uniformly distributing the ammonia-release compound in the tobacco cut filler prior to forming the tobacco column. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein incorporating the ammonia-release compound comprises: forming a solution or slurry of a water-soluble ammonia-release compound and water; and applying the solution or slurry to the tobacco cut filler. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein incorporating the ammonia-release compound comprises spraying a water-soluble ammonia-release compound in water onto the tobacco cut filler. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco column further comprises glycerine. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ammonia-release compound comprises ammonium hydroxide and cobalt acetate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the tobacco column further comprises glycerine. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ammonia-release compound comprises ammonium hydroxide and copper acetate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the tobacco column further comprises glycerine. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ammonia-release compound comprises ammonium hydroxide and zinc acetate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the tobacco column further comprises glycerine. 
     
     
         12 . A method of reducing cytotoxicity in tobacco smoke produced by a cigarette comprising tobacco and an ammonia-release compound incorporated in or on the tobacco, wherein the ammonia-release compound comprises ammonium hydroxide and cobalt acetate, copper acetate, zinc acetate, or combination thereof, comprising: lighting the cigarette such that heat from the lit cigarette causes the ammonia-release compound to release ammonia in a distillation zone of the cigarette; and reacting the ammonia with cytotoxic compounds present in the tobacco smoke within the distillation zone of the cigarette. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the ammonia-release compound comprises ammonium hydroxide and cobalt acetate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the tobacco further comprises glycerine. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the ammonia-release compound comprises ammonium hydroxide and copper acetate. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the tobacco further comprises glycerine. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the ammonia-release compound comprises ammonium hydroxide and zinc acetate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the tobacco further comprises glycerine. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the ammonia-release compound releases ammonia at a temperature between about 60° C. and about 400° C. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein ammonia-release compound is water soluble.