RU2363360C1 - Cigarette filter with possibility to remove harmful substance - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: food industry.

SUBSTANCE: cigarette filter contains filtering core made from bunch of fibers through which cigarette smoke goes, fine powder with high surface area coefficient that is mixed and distributed in bunch of fibers, and double-stranded DNA molecula attached to the outer surface of fine powder with high surface area coefficient. Herewith harmful substances such as benzo[a]pyrene contained in cigarette smoke are removed by intercalation (implementation) in double-stranded DNA molecula.

EFFECT: creation of cigarette filter that does not deteriorate distinctive cigarette aroma and filter breathability when smoking and effectively removes harmful substances.

6 cl, 5 dwg, 2 tbl, 4 ex

Description

The present invention relates to a cigarette filter, and more particularly, to a cigarette filter capable of more efficiently removing harmful substances from cigarette smoke, such as pyrene, with little effect on its own aroma and breathability of the filter during smoking.

The filter in a paper-wrapped cigarette was designed to remove tar or cigarette tar, taking into account the effects of cigarette smoking on human health. Recently, health problems caused by smoking have been paid more attention, and the demand for filters to remove harmful substances in cigarette smoke, such as pyrene, has increased. Patent Document 1 provides a cigarette filter, directly attached to it is DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), acting as an active ingredient to trap carcinogenic and toxic components in cigarette smoke. Patent Document 2 provides a method in which UV radiation is used to fix DNA to a base, such as a cigarette filter.

Patent Document 1: FR 2798302

Patent Document 2: JP-A 2001-81098

Objectives of the invention

A cigarette filter capable of removing a harmful substance is necessary not only to remove the harmful substance in the cigarette smoke as much as possible, but also not to impair the special flavor of the cigarette, that is, to allow unhindered passage of a chemical that acts as a source of flavor, and additionally keep good breathable performance. If the chemical as a source of aroma is removed, then the smoker may feel this as a lack of taste. If the air permeability of the filter is impaired, the smoker may experience inconvenience when inhaling cigarette smoke, which may damage the commercial value of the cigarette.

The cigarette filter disclosed in Patent Document 1 was developed without taking into account the persistence of cigarette flavor and breathability during smoking. Meanwhile, Patent Document 2 discloses a method in which a DNA filter is used as a cigarette filter, but does not explain the level of removal of the harmful substance, the effect on the flavor of the cigarette and on the breathability of the filter. Thus, this filter has not yet been used in practice as a cigarette filter.

The solution to the problem

The inventors have created a cigarette filter capable of more efficiently removing harmful substances from cigarette smoke, such as pyrenes, and also preventing the distinctive characteristic aroma of the cigarette and the breathability of the filter from deteriorating during smoking. When creating this cigarette filter, the inventors found that double-stranded DNA is suitable for absorbing more harmful substances, such as pyrenes, while absorbing less substances such as nicotine and flavoring components, which are the source of cigarette flavor. Assuming that the air permeability of the filter may decrease when the double-stranded DNA molecules are distributed throughout the entire fiber bundle of the filter, so that they are attached to it, especially when a large number of double-stranded DNA molecules are distributed in it, the inventors have studied various ways of distributing double-stranded DNA in the fiber bundle than completely. In addition, double-stranded DNA was attached to a fine powder of granular cellulose, and then a fine powder of granular cellulose to which double-stranded DNA was attached was distributed in a fiber bundle. As a result, the harmful substance was effectively removed, and the substances that are the source of the characteristic flavor of the cigarette passed unhindered through the filter without impairing its breathability. It was confirmed that most of the double-stranded DNA was attached to the outer surface of the fine granular cellulose powder.

The present invention is made, taking into account the above problems of the prior art, for providing a cigarette filter that can effectively remove harmful substances from cigarette smoke, such as pyrenes, while preventing deterioration of both the characteristic aroma of the cigarette and the breathability of the filter during smoking by attaching double-stranded DNA to a fine powder with a large surface area, such as granular cellulose, so as to mix the double-stranded DNA attached to the fine powder to the fiber bundle ltra.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a cigarette filter includes a fiber bundle through which cigarette smoke passes, fine powders with a high surface area, mixed with a filter fiber bundle so that the powders are distributed therein, and a double-stranded DNA molecule attached to the outer surface of the fine powder with high surface area. In a cigarette filter, harmful substances, such as benzo [a] pyrene, are captured by intercalation (incorporation) into a double-stranded DNA particle to remove them.

According to a preferred feature of the present invention, a high surface area fine powder is formed from granulated cellulose.

Preferably, the average particle size of the fine powder with a high surface area is from 50 to 2000 microns, and more preferably from 300 to 800 microns.

In the present invention, the cigarette filter contains a fine powder with a high surface area in the range of 1 to 50% by weight and a double-stranded DNA particle in the range of 0.01 to 10% by weight of the weight of the filter fiber bundle.

Another object of the present invention relates to a cigarette wrapped in paper provided with the aforementioned cigarette filter.

The technical result of the invention

The cigarette filter of the invention includes a fiber bundle through which cigarette smoke passes, a fine powder with a high surface area, mixed in a fiber bundle that allows double-stranded DNA to adhere to the outer surface, and a double-strand DNA molecule attached to the outer surface of the fine powder with a high area surface. In the structure described above, it is possible to ensure sufficient breathability of cigarette smoke, as well as suppress / prevent the absorption and removal of flavor components of smoke, such as resins, in order to maintain a familiar smoking experience. Harmful substances, such as benzo [a] pyrene, can be effectively retained by intercalation between double-stranded DNA molecules to be removed. Since the double-stranded DNA molecule is attached to a fine powder with a high surface area, its desorption becomes unlikely compared with the situation of direct adhesion to a cigarette filter. As a result, the effect of removing the harmful substance can be maintained for a long period of time.

In the illustrations:

Figure 1 - electronic microphotograph of a fine powder with a high surface area used in the present invention;

Figure 2 is an electron micrograph of a fine powder with a high surface area to which double-stranded DNA was attached in the present invention;

Figure 3 is another electronic microphotograph of a fine powder with a high surface area to which the double-stranded DNA of the invention was attached;

Figa is an explanatory view, in longitudinal section, of a cigarette filter according to the invention; and

Figv is an explanatory view, in longitudinal section, of a cigarette filter having a double-stranded DNA attached directly to the bundle of filter fibers.

In the present invention, a high surface area fine powder 2 having a unique structure with a plurality of slits 1 formed on the outer surface, as shown in FIG. 1, is used to attach more double-stranded DNA in a concentrated manner. A double-stranded DNA 3 is attached to the outer surface of a fine powder 2 with a high surface area (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Any type of fine powder 2 with a high surface area can be applied provided that it allows double-stranded DNA molecules to be attached to it. Instead of a crevice, a crease, wrinkle, or kink may be formed. The fine powder with a high surface area according to the invention can be formed with the aforementioned crevice, crease, wrinkle or kink not only on the external surface, but also inside. Fine powder with a high surface area can be arbitrarily formed, for example, with a porous structure.

The cigarette filter according to the invention, in which a fine powder with a high surface area containing more double-stranded DNA molecules, is mixed and dispersed, is much more advantageous than a commonly used cigarette filter having DNA contained directly in the filter, from the point of view of performing an effective preservation of air permeability of the filter. The aforementioned advantage will be described below, in comparison with a conventionally accepted cigarette filter, in which double-stranded DNA molecules are attached directly to the bundle of filter fibers.

Referring to FIG. 4A, double-stranded DNA 3 is attached to the outer surface of a fine powder with a high surface area with the aforementioned structure. A cigarette filter 5 is formed by mixing and dispersing in a fiber bundle 4 a fine powder 2 with a high surface area to which double-stranded DNA 3 is attached. In order to distribute a predetermined amount of double-strand DNA 3 in the bundle of fibers 4, it is necessary that the fine powder 2 with high a surface area containing double-stranded DNA 3 was mixed into the fiber bundle of filter 4 for distribution in the bundle. As a result, particles of fine powder 2 with a high surface area, to which the double-stranded DNA 3 is attached, are located at a distance from each other, which is guaranteed to ensure the formation of a sufficient passage for cigarette smoke 6.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 4B, in a cigarette filter 7, in which a double-stranded DNA 3 is attached directly to a bundle of filter fibers 4 (for example, a bundle of filter fibers is impregnated in an aqueous DNA solution and then dried to hold the DNA), double-stranded DNA 3 It turns out to be essentially uniformly distributed throughout the entire bundle of fibers of filter 4 with the aim of distributing an identical amount of double-stranded DNA in it. As a result, the corresponding molecules of double-stranded DNA 3 are located adjacent to each other. The resulting narrow passage of cigarette smoke 6 degrades the air permeability of the filter.

The cigarette filter of the invention also effectively maintains the breathability of the filter.

Preferably, the average particle size of the fine powder with a high surface area according to the invention is from 50 to 2000 μm in order to prevent clogging of the filter fiber bundle. More preferably, the average particle size is from 300 to 800 microns. Fine powder with a high surface area is not specifically limited on the basis of material and shape, provided that it is permeable to cigarette smoke and structured to increase the surface area to ensure the attachment (adhesion) of double-stranded DNA molecules to the external surface. For example, a fine powder with a high surface area can be formed from a synthetic or natural polymer, such as polystyrene, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, cellulose, starch, natural rubber, gelatin, chitin, chitosan and acetate, from an inorganic substance such as dioxide silicon, alumina, activated carbon and diatom, and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the fine powder with a high surface area is made from a cellulosic polymer, especially, for example, from cellulose acetate. Preferably, the fine powder with a high surface area has a granular shape, and most preferably is granular cellulose. It is enough that a fine powder with a high surface area is simply mixed in a bundle of fibers. Double-stranded DNA molecules can be attached to a fine powder with a high surface area under the influence of physical force, such as intramolecular force and electrostatic force, through chemical bonds, such as covalent bonds, ionic bonds and coordination bonds, or combinations of physical forces and chemical bonds. In the present invention, a structure where double-stranded DNA molecules exist on a fine powder with a high surface area, so that they are not desorbed from there, can be taken into account as being attached to a fine powder with a high surface area.

Meanwhile, the double-stranded DNA used in the present invention is formed from two polynucleotide chains (double helix) with a helical shape. It is preferable to use DNA obtained from milk (testes) of fish, such as salmon / salmon, herring and cod, or double-stranded DNA obtained from the thymus gland of mammals or birds, such as cattle, pigs and chickens. In double-stranded DNA, planar bases, each of which has structural complementation, extend from the sugar phosphate lattices of two polynucleotide chains to the center (inside) of the helix perpendicular to its axis, and the bases are bonded hydrogen bonds. In the case of a type B structure, between the base pairs of the duplex, a gap is formed with a width of approximately 1.1 nm and a height of 0.34 nm, and thus, such a gap can accommodate small molecules with a planar structure. The above phenomenon is called intercalation, which can be accelerated by the charge and hydrophobicity of small molecules. Since most unhealthy substances, such as dioxins, are formed from many benzene rings and have a planar structure, the use of double-stranded DNA is much more effective in removing harmful substances from cigarette smoke. The structure of double-stranded DNA in the present invention is not particularly limited provided that it is capable of adhesion to the outer surface of a fine powder with a high surface area. Possible forms of double-stranded DNA may include powder, fiber, and film, and a fine powder form is particularly preferred. The use of fine double-stranded DNA powder allows to increase its surface area with an identical amount, thereby further improving the effect of absorption / removal of harmful substances.

Taking into account the efficiency of removing harmful substances, the corresponding contents of a fine powder with a high surface area and particles of double-stranded DNA can vary in the range, respectively, from 1 to 50 wt.% And from 0.01 to 10 wt.% Of the weight of the filter fiber bundle.

The cigarette filter of the invention may further include activated carbon, a substance other than double-stranded DNA that removes the harmful substance, a chemical substance that gives flavor, or the like.

Examples

Below are described examples of the invention, which, however, are not intended to limit it.

Example 1

A cigarette filter 5 having the structure shown in FIG. 4A according to the invention and a cigarette A equipped with a cigarette filter 5 are made as described below.

First, 750 mg of double-stranded DNA in the form of a fine powder is applied to attach to approximately 100 g of granular cellulose (average particle size: 300-800 μm) in the form of a fine powder with a high surface area. Then, 0.1 g of granulated cellulose to which double-stranded DNA was attached (double-stranded DNA content: 0.75 mg) was mixed into a filter fiber bundle formed from cellulose acetate (weighing about 1.0 g) using a cigarette forming machine filter. Thereafter, by using the machine for forming a cigarette filter, the mixture is wrapped with rice paper in order to give a shape similar to a round rod, and thus the cigarette filter of the invention is obtained. Filter: Research Cigarette 2R4F (trade name, University of Kentucky, United States) is removed to replace with the above cigarette filter of the invention to form cigarette A.

Comparative Example 1

Filter: Research Cigarette 2R4F (trade name, University of Kentucky, United States) is removed to replace with a filter (without double-stranded DNA and without cellulose granules containing double-stranded DNA) formed from the filter fiber bundle used in Example 1 to form cigarette B .

Comparative Example 2

About 1.0 g of the fiber bundle of the filter used for cigarette B is impregnated in an aqueous solution containing double-stranded DNA in an amount of 5 wt.%. Then the fiber bundle of the filter is removed from the aqueous solution of double-stranded DNA and completely dried at approximately 37 ° C. An ultraviolet ray with a wavelength of 260 nm is emitted onto a fiber bundle to form a cigarette filter. The amount of double-stranded DNA attached to the cigarette filter is measured and it is approximately 1 mg. The cigarette filter thus obtained is wrapped in rice paper using a cigarette filter forming machine to give a shape similar to a round rod. Filter: Research Cigarette 2R4F (trade name, University of Kentucky, United States) is removed to replace with a cigarette filter shaped like a round rod to form cigarette C.

Comparative Example 3

An aqueous solution containing 5% by weight double-stranded DNA was sprayed into 1.0 g of a fiber bundle of a filter used for cigarette B and completely dried at 37 ° C to obtain a cigarette filter. The amount of double-stranded DNA attached to the cigarette filter is measured and it is approximately 1 mg. The cigarette filter thus obtained is wrapped in rice paper by using a cigarette filter forming machine to give a shape similar to a round rod. Filter: Research Cigarette 2R4F (trade name, University of Kentucky, United States) is removed to replace with a cigarette filter shaped like a round rod to form a D cigarette.

Comparative Example 4

About 1.0 g of the fiber bundle of the filter used for cigarette B is soaked in an aqueous solution that contains 5 wt.% Double-stranded DNA and 0.1 wt.% NaF for about 1 minute. The filter is then removed from the aqueous DNA solution and completely dried at approximately 37 ° C to obtain a cigarette filter. The amount of double-stranded DNA attached to the cigarette filter is measured and it is approximately 3 mg. Thus, the resulting cigarette filter is wrapped in rice paper using a cigarette filter forming machine to give a shape similar to a round rod. Filter: Research Cigarette 2R4F (trade name, University of Kentucky, United States) is removed to replace with the above-obtained cigarette filter having a shape like a round rod to form a D cigarette.

Reference Example 1

The experiment is carried out with respect to each effect of removing benzo [a] pyrene produced by smoking the corresponding cigarettes A, B, C, D and E.

(Test Procedure)

In a Hamburg II automatic smoking machine, the conditions for capturing the mainstream smoke (air: cigarette smoke = 7: 3) are created 10 times, provided that 1 puff / 35 ml in two seconds out of 20 cigarettes per day in relation to the above-obtained cigarettes A, B, C , D and E. The amount of benzo [a] pyrene contained in the total air released from the outside after smoking is measured. The measurement results are shown in Table 1.

Table 1 Output quantity
Benzo [a] pyrene (ng / UNK ) BUT 0.15 AT 0.45 FROM 0.25 D 0.31 E 0.41

(Results)

From the results shown in Table 1, compared with each exiting amount (at the outlet) of benzo [a] pyrene released externally after smoking cigarettes B, C, D and E, that is, 0.45 ng / UNK , 0.25 ng / UNK , 0.31 ng / UNK , and 0.41 ng / UNK , the output amount for smoking cigarette A equipped with a cigarette filter of the invention is only 0.15 ng / UNK . Although cigarette A contains only 0.75 mg of double-stranded DNA, the effect of removing benzo [a] pyrene is stronger than the effect of removing benzo [a] pyrene in cigarettes C, D, and E, containing 1 mg of double-stranded DNA, respectively , 1 mg and 3 mg. In other words, cigarette A, formed by mixing granular cellulose containing double-stranded DNA into a fiber bundle, has a stronger effect on the removal of benzo [a] pyrene compared to the effect on removing C and D cigarettes formed by directly attaching the double-stranded DNA to fiber bundle by impregnation in an aqueous solution or by spraying. The cigarette filter according to the invention, which contains a large amount of double-stranded DNA on cellulose granules to be mixed into a fiber bundle, provides an additional excellent effect on the absorption / removal of pyrenes, such as benzo [a] pyrene.

Reference Example 2

A check is carried out in relation to the level of sensation during smoking obtained by smoking cigarettes A, B, C, D and E, formed as in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-4.

Test Method:

In a control test of 30 subjects, cigarettes A, B, C, D, and E were smoked in order to make comparisons in terms of aroma and smoke sensation between cigarettes A, C, D, E, each of which contains double-stranded DNA, and cigarette B containing double-stranded DNA. The assessment is based on the level (degree) of aroma deterioration and sensation when inhaling smoke resulting from smoking cigarettes A, C, D, and E, relative to cigarette B. If subjects determine that the aroma and sensation when inhaling smoke is the result smoking cigarettes A, C, D or E, barely change or they don’t notice such a change at all, they assign a point score of 3 points. If they slightly feel discomfort while smoking, they assign a score of 2 points. If they clearly feel uncomfortable while smoking, they assign a point score of 1 point. Each average score for cigarettes A, B, C, D and E is calculated and the results are shown in Table 2.

table 2 Scent Smoke Attraction Level BUT 2.7 2,8 AT 2.7 2,8 FROM 2.2 2,3 D 2.1 2.2 E 2.1 2.2

The test results of cigarette A with a cigarette filter according to the invention, containing double-stranded DNA, in terms of ease of smoke and aroma, are essentially identical to the test results of cigarette B equipped with a cigarette filter that does not have double-stranded DNA. It also becomes apparent that cigarettes C, D, and E, each of which has double-stranded DNA directly attached to the bundle of filter fibers, can prevent less sensation when drawing in smoke compared to cigarette A. It is assumed that the above effect is obtained thanks to a cigarette filter in which double-stranded DNA is attached to a fine powder with a high surface area, such as granular cellulose, in a concentrated manner rather than by direct attachment, t in that the particles of the fine powder with high surface area fibers distributed in the beam cigarette with sufficient spacing from each other.

Claims (6)

1. A cigarette filter containing:
a bundle of fibers through which cigarette smoke passes;
fine powder with a high surface area, mixed into a bundle of filter fibers so that the powder is distributed in it; and
a double-stranded DNA molecule attached to the outer surface of a fine powder with a high surface area,
and harmful substances such as benzo [a] pyrene contained in the smoke of a cigarette are captured by intercalation in a double-stranded DNA molecule to remove them. 2. The cigarette filter according to claim 1, in which a fine powder with a high surface area is formed from granulated cellulose. 3. The cigarette filter according to claim 1, in which the average particle size of the fine powder with a high surface area is from 50 to 2000 microns. 4. The cigarette filter according to claim 1, in which the average particle size of the fine powder with a high surface area is from 300 to 800 microns. 5. A cigarette filter according to any one of claims 1 to 4, containing a fine powder with a high surface area in an amount of from 1 to 50 wt.% And a double-stranded DNA molecule in an amount of from 0.01 to 10 wt.% Of the weight of the filter fiber bundle. 6. A cigarette wrapped in paper equipped with a cigarette filter according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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