Factors affecting the adsorption efficiency of the vapor phase components of cigarette smoke by activated carbon fibers.

Abstract

Among the factors which affect the adsorption efficiencies of the vapor phase components of cigarette smoke by activated carbon fibers (ACF), the effects of smoke temperature, TPM (Total Particulate Matter) and water vapor were evaluated. Even at the final puffing, namely 14th puff for a cigarette used, the smoke temperature was only 7°C higher than the ambient temperature. Therefore, it was recognized that the smoke temperature has practically no effect on the adsorption in the case of the cigarettes used in this work. The adsorption ability of ACFs for the vapor phase components, especially of those having narrow micropore radius, was extremely lowered by TPM. For ACFs having narrow micropores, even a slight difference in pore radius resulted in great difference in the adsorption efficiency. Among the components in the vapor phase, those having relatively high boiling points underwent more inhibition of adsorption than low boiling point components. It has been suggested, therefore, that ACFs behave as if their pore radii and specific surface areas become small. From the adsorption experiments of organic component vapor and water vapor, it was confirmed that the adsorbed amounts depend on pore radii rather than specific surface areas because there exist combinations for the maximum adsorption of smoke components. In the presence of water vapor, this combination indicated a considerable substitution of organic components by water. Water vapor had appreciable effects on the adsorption efficiency of ACFs.