The Selective Retention of Phenol by Cigarette Filter Materials

A method is described for the study of the abilities of different substances to r~move phenol from a gas stream, with application to the selective filtration of tobacco smoke in mind. Use was made .of ,gas chromatography, measuring the retention time of phenol on columns containing different materials. Differences in the mechanism through which phenol is retained by pure and plasticized cellulose acetates became apparent. A number of substances expected to give hydrogen bonding with phenol were added to the usual cigarette filter materials. Considerable increase in phenol retention was only found in the cases of urea and nicotinamide