On cellulose acetate in cigarette filters

Smokers are well known to the world. However, the advantages and disadvantages of cellulose acetate used in cigarette filters are rarely scrutinized.

Cellulose acetate in cigarette filters is the first to bear the brunt of the filtration effect. It can block tar, nicotine and other harmful substances in the middle of the flue gas, so that the inhaler is slightly less harmful. When the flue gas flows through the fine structure of cellulose acetate, harmful particles are adsorbed and intercepted, such as sediment trapped in the filter screen and cannot travel smoothly. This is the first achievement of cellulose acetate in cigarette filters.

Furthermore, cellulose acetate is also related to the taste of smoke. It can adjust the humidity and temperature of the smoke, making the smoke softer and smoother. If the smoke is too dry, the entrance is dry and spicy; if it is too wet, it will feel greasy and stagnant. Cellulose acetate can balance the two, so that when smokers smoke, they feel comfortable and pleasant, like the breeze blowing on their faces, rather than the excitement of the wind and rain.

However, everything has advantages and disadvantages. Although cellulose acetate can filter some harmful substances, it is not a foolproof solution. There are still many harmful ingredients that quietly bypass the interception of cellulose acetate and enter the human body. And the cigarette filter is abandoned in the wild, and cellulose acetate is difficult to degrade. Over the years, it adds a burden to the environment. In nature, it is not corrosive for a long time, increasing day by day, and gradually becoming a threat to the environment.

Therefore, cellulose acetate in cigarette filters should be viewed dialectically. Improve its filtration and taste, and avoid its refractory degradation. Or develop new technologies to make cellulose acetate more efficient filtration and easy to degrade in nature; or explore alternatives that not only maintain the quality of tobacco, but also do not damage the environment. This is what the tobacco industry and environmental protection community should think about today.