Applying heterogeneous catalysis to health care: In situ elimination of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) in smoke by molecular sieves

To expand heterogeneous catalysis to health care and to control the carcinogens in environment, molecular sieves are put into the tobacco rod of cigarettes as the cigarette-catalyst (cig-cat) to in situ eliminate tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) in mainstream smoke during the combustion of cigarette. Several zeolites and mesoporous silicas are utilized for comparison, in order to assess the impact of pore size, Al content, morphology as well as acid–base property of additives on the reduction of TSNA content in smoke. When these additives are activated as the hot zone in burning cigarette approaches, they will remove TSNAs once these carcinogens transfer or form in the smoke. Actually they can remove the TSNA up to 35% in the smoke of Burley type tobacco, and most of these additives can keep their structure after tobacco combustion. These latest results are beneficial for controlling the environment pollution caused by smoking.

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► To eliminate TSNAs in smoke via adding molecular sieves into the tobacco rods of cigarette.
► Up to 40% of TSNAs in the mainstream smoke are removed.
► Mesoporous silica mainly in situ filters the particles in smoke to eliminate TSNAs.
► Zeolites remove more TSNAs than TPM in smoke through adsorption and catalysis.
► LC–MS/MS with internal-standard monitors the elimination of TSNAs in smoke.