A Cigarette filter is a component of a cigarette, in addition to cigarette paper, capsules and adhesives. The filter could be made from cellulose acetate fibre, paper or activated charcoal (either like a cavity filter or embedded into the cellulose acetate). Macroporous phenol-formaldehyde resins and asbestos seemed to be used in cigarette filters The acetate and paper get a new particulate smoke phase by particle retention (filtration), and finely divided carbon modifies the gaseous phase (adsorption). Filters can help to eliminate “tar” and nicotine smoke yields up to 50%, which has a greater removal rate for other classes of compounds (e.g., phenols), but they are ineffective in filtering toxins such as deadly carbon monoxide. Most factory-made cigarettes are equipped with a filter; people who roll their own can get them from the tobacconist.

Cellulose acetate is created by esterifying bleached cotton or wood pulp with acetic acid. Of the three cellulose hydroxy groups intended for esterification, between two and three are esterified by managing the amount of acid (level of substitution (DS) 2.35-2.55). The ester is spun into fibers and formed into bundles called filter tow. Flavors (menthol), sweeteners, softeners (triacetin), flame retardants (sodium tungstate), breakable capsules releasing flavors at the moment, and additives colouring the cigarette smoke could possibly be added to cigarette filters. 5 largest manufactures of filter tow are Hoechst-Celanese and Eastman Chemicals in the us, Rhodia Acetow in Germany, Daicel in Japan, and Courtaulds in britain.

Starch glues or emulsion-based adhesives are used for gluing cigarette seams. Hot-melt and emulsion-based adhesives are used for filter seams. Emulsion-based adhesives bring bonding filters for the cigarettes.

Cellulose acetate is non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, and weakly flammable. It is resistance against weak acids and it is largely stable to mineral and fatty oils along with petroleum. It can be biodegradable and the raw materials are a renewable natural polymer expected to find application for other uses in the foreseeable future. Smoked cigarette butts contain 5-7 mg nicotine (about 25% in the total cigarette nicotine content), children ingesting >2 whole cigarettes, 6 cigarette butts or a total of 0.5 mg/kg of nicotine should be admitted to some hospital. Cellulose acetate is hydrophilic and retains the water-soluble smoke constituents, which lots of people are irritating (acids, alkali, aldehydes, and phenols), while letting with the lipophilic aromatic compounds.
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