US2739913A - Tobacco product and method of making said product - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Morris and 1Co., Ltd.,.Inc.,'.New Yl'k,.'N- Y,., ,a corporation of Virginia No Drawing. Application July '2, 1953, SerialTNo.f365,779

3 Claims. (Cl. 131-17) This invention relates to a new and novel tobacco product, and method of making saidproduct, adapted for smoking. More particularly,it relates toan improved tobacco product containing,-in addition-to the tobacco, and in efiective cooperation therewith, a material or materials which during smoking, remove certain objectionable consitutents'fromthe smoke,and the process of manufacture thereof.

Cigarettes, the most popular form of smoking tobacco, consists essentially of finely cut -tobacco of'diiferent blends enclosed and wrapped inpaper. lnrecent'years, there has been a growing desire of many people to have decreased or partially-removed'fromthe' smoke stream prior to entering their mouth, constituents of the smoke which are believedto be irritating to the mucous membranes of certain smokers, or otherwise thought, generally harmful. Compounds such as nicotine, carbon monoxide, acrolein, aldehydes, vhydrogen sulfide, hydrogen cyanide and heterocylic nitrogen-containing .compounds have been classed as such-objectionable constitutents.

Because of this desire for mildercigarettes, i..e., less irritating to the smoker, the useof filter-tip cigarettes has .been gaining in popularity. The effectiveness of these filters varies from.a:;purely psychological filter, which removes substantially nothing from the smoke stream, to those whichremove a 'substantialfraction of the smoke, including both objectionable and desirable constituents. In addition to 'filters,'-some manufacturers have attempted to produce a milder. cigarette, for example by the proper blending of' low-nicotine variety tobaccos.

Now, therefore, Ihave discovered that a class of chemical compounds. known as porphines can be'incorporated into a cigarette or-othertobacco product-for smoking, resulting in azpleasant.mild-smoke with reduction of irritants without apparent decrease in flavor or aroma. Porphines are tetracyclic pyrroles wherein the four pyrrole rings -are-joined at the alpha position by methine groups to ,form'a-rmacrocylic ring, having a double linkage between carbon atoms7zan'd 8. Furthermore, for the purpose of my: invention, the porphine must contain an ion of a metal which in compounds can exist in more than one oxidation state, such as iron, copper and cobalt.

Now, therefore, in accordance with my invention, I have devised a tobacco product, and method of making same, for smoking having incorporated therein a porphine containing an ion of a metal which in compounds can exist in more than one oxidation state.

Having now indicated in a general way the nature and purpose of my invention, the following examples are oifered to give specific illustration of the practice of the invention and the advantages to be obtained therefrom and are not to be construed as limiting the same. In the examples, the ingredients are given in parts by weight unless otherwise indicated.

2,739,913 Patented Mar. 27, 1956 2 EXAMPLE 1 Absorption of CO by ,oxyhemqglobin A. 70 mm. cigarette wassrnoked ,in ra-smokingmachine of the type described in .Industrial .and Engineering Chemistry, volume 28, pages 836-839 (July-193.6),-/and the smoke passed through water. The gas *was collected in a cell having sapphire windows. The infrared absorption spectrum of the gas was recorded by means of an infrared spectrophotometer. Thepresence of both CO and CO2 was demonstrated by their characteristic absorption bands. "This'spectrum was used as the'control.

-A saturated solution of oxyhemoglobin was prepared. =A70 mm. cigarette o'f the'same cut'filler as -'above' was smoked in the smoking machine and the smoke'pass'ed through the saturated solution of oxyhemoglobin. The gas was *collectedin a cell having'sapphire windows. Aspectrum was then run,'scanning the frequencies characteristic of both CO and C02. The resultingspectrum was compared with the control spectrum and it was found that a definite-material reduction of both CO and CO2 had occurred.

It was therefore found that 'when oxyhemoglobin is paced in elfective cooperation with the'tobacco of 'a cigarette, ..a definite reduction of CO occurred ;in the smoke.

EXAMPLE II 1% hemin treated tobacco A lot'of cigarette tobacco, i. e., cut filler, was divided into two portions. tlirectlyupon one portion of .this'tobacco in' an amount of 1% by weight. Cigarettes were-then made from .both the hemin-treated and untreated tobacco.

The treated and untreated cigarettes were then smoked in the smoking machines described in Example I, t and the smoke collected. The aldehyde content of the collected smoke was then determined by the method described in Analytical Chemistry, volume '25,No.- '4, atpages '640- '642.

The total aldehyde content of the smoke was determined as well as the volatile aldehydes existing'in the smoke stream in the gas phase. The latter was carried out by inserting a filter, made from glass wool-having afiber'diameter of from 0.5 to 1. 5 microns, between'the cigarette and the collection flasks.

The following tableshows the results obtained. .An eifective removal of 53.30% of the total aldehyde content of the smoke was obtained from the hemin-treated tobacco, and 65.53% removal of the volatile aldehyde content of the residual gas phase.

TABLE 1 1 Total aldehydes. 1 Volatile aldehydes, residual gas phase.

EXAMPLE III 2% hemin-treated tobacco Example II was repeated using identical cut filler,

exceptthat 2% recrystallized hemin by weight was dusted on the tobacco. The results were as follows:

Recrystallized hemin was dusted EXAMPLE IV Hemin-treated cigarettes milder Both treated and untreated cigarettes prepared in Example III were distributed to a taste panel after having been coded to hide their identity. The heroin-treated cigarettes were judged to be definitely milder than the untreate d cigarettes by the panel.

While in Example I oxyhemoglobin was placed in effective cooperation with smoking tobacco, if desired the oxyhemoglobin may be impregnated directly in the tobacco, or incorporated in a conventional-type filter tip such as cellulose, cotton, and similar material. However, since oxyhemoglobin contains protein matter, it is recommended that it be used in the filter rather than directly on the tobacco as it may impart a characteristic taste to the cigarette.

It will be noted in Example II and III that hemin was added directly to the tobacco. While it may also be incorporated in the filter, it is particularly suitable for direct addition to the tobacco since it imparts no characteristic taste to the cigarette.

It will be noted that in Examples H and III the amount of hemin was varied. The use of 1% hemin gave a greater reduction of aldehydes than 2%. However, the 2% hemin-treatcd tobacco is sufliciently effective to result in a milder smoke than that from untreated tobacco, as shown by the results of the taste panel in Example IV. It is therefore preferred to use not more than 2% by weight of hemin based on the weight of the tobacco contained therein. From 1 to 2% of hemin will ordinarily be used depending on the various individual tastes.

The porphine may be incorporated directly on the tobacco by dusting, spraying, dipping or the like. However, if preferred, the porphine may be incorporated in the filter material such as crepe paper, cellulose, asbestos, foil, cellophane, cotton and the like. It may be dusted on the filter material in crystalline form, or, if preferred, applied from a solution, dispersion or suspension.

As stated, the porphines of this invention are tetracyclic pyrroles wherein the four pyrrole rings are joined at the alpha position by methine groups to form a macroof existing in more than one oxidation state, such as,

copper and cobalt, may be used. The porphines may be obtained from naturally occurring substances by wellknown methods. However, if preferred, heme, hemin, reduced heme and the like may be synthesized. Furthermore, the porphine may be in combination with a protein such as globin, for example hemoglobin, or the prosthetic group from hemoglobin, for example heme.

Although the exact constituents of smoke, and in what quantities present, are not known, various compounds have been found present which have been classed as ob jectionable constituents. In Example I it was shown that a porphine such as oxyhemoglobin has the ability to substantially remove carbon monoxide from the smoke stream, but its value is not so limited. In Examples II and III the addition of a porphine such as heme totobacco resulted in the substantial reduction of total aldehydes as well as volatile aldehydes from the residual gas phase. It is believed that additional objectionable constituents. such as nicotine, hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen cyanide and heterocyclic nitrogen-containing compounds are at least partially removed from the smoke stream. 1

Thus, by my invention, I have devised a novel cigarette or other tobacco product, and method of making said product adapted for smoking, wherein constituents which are believed to cause irritation to the mucous membranes of certain smokers or otherwise are considered generally undesirable are at least partially removed from the smoke stream. Furthermore, the compound can be incorporated either in conventional type filter tips or applied directly to the tobacco. The resulting cigarette is a mild, pleasant smoke without loss of flavor or aroma.

I claim:

1. A tobacco product for smoking having incorporated therein not more than 2% by weight of hemin, based on weight of tobacco contained therein.

2. In a process of making a filter-tip cigarette, the improved method consisting of impregnating the filter prior to its-being combined with the tobacco with not more than 2% by weight of hemin based on weight of tobacco contained therein.

3. A tobacco product for smoking having incorporated therein from 1 to 2% by weight of hemin, based on weight of tobacco contained therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,902,775 Herrmann Mar. 21, 1933 2,460,284 Hale Feb. 1, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 167,845 Germany Feb. 20, 1906 OTHER REFERENCES Kingzetts Chemical Encyclopedia, page 871; 8th edition; published 1952 by Bailliere, Tundall and Cox, London. Copy in the Patent Office Library.

Claims (1)

1. A TOBACCO PRODUCT FOR SMOKING HAVING INCORPORATED THEREIN NOT MORE THAN 2% BY WEIGHT OF HEMIN, BASED ON WEIGHT OF TOBACCO CONTAINED THEREIN.