Selective reduction of bulky polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from mainstream smoke of cigarettes by mesoporous materials

Cerium-incorporated MCM-48 mesoporous silica has been hydrothermally synthesized using a co-templating route and was characterized. MCM-48 and Ce-MCM-48 act as the shape-selective adsorption/catalysts on the tobacco and provide a good means to reduce the bulky polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mainstream smoke of cigarettes. The incorporation of cerium into the mesoporous silica host can effectively improve its catalytic activity, by which the bulky polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can been effectively and selectively reduced. The mesoporous silica catalysts are activated when they approach to the hot zone in the burning cigarette, where temperature reaches to around 800 °C.