DE1082541B - Process for the continuous treatment of tobacco - Google Patents

Description

It is now clear that the toxicity of tobacco smoke on the one hand with the presence of nicotine and on the other hand, it is related to that of certain carcinogenic substances in tobacco smoke.

The carcinogenic effect of tobacco smoke was attributed in particular to 3,4-benzopyrene, However, the current state of research has shown that there are other carcinogenic form aromatic hydrocarbons during the combustion of tobacco, such as Dibenzo-3,4,9,10-pyrene, cyclopenteno-5,6- (and -6,7) -benzo-l, 2-anthracene etc. The smoke also contains other carcinogenic substances, namely aliphatic hydrocarbons, which are broken down by cracking during distillation the paraffins contained in the tobacco leaves form during combustion, and brown, polymerized substances, which differ from pyrrole, aldehydes and ketones on the one hand and from pyrroline, pyrrolidine, and pyridine derive their homologues, phenols and acids on the other hand, such as those of Neukomm and B ο η η e t described compounds (HeIv., XXXIX, P. 1724 [1956]; XL, pp. 113, 717 [1957]; Oncologie, 10, pp. 107, 124, 137 [1957].

While nicotine, which is a very volatile compound, is also natural Tobacco as it is in the smoke of the same are the carcinogenic substances and among them in particular the polycyclic hydrocarbons are almost exclusively detectable in the smoke of tobacco. This means that The combustion that takes place during smoking is the essential process for the formation of carcinogens Fabrics is.

Tobacco smoke also contains irritants such as volatile bases and polymeric compounds also arise during the burning of the tobacco.

The only means so far used on an industrial scale to remove certain harmful groups of substances in the smoke, especially nicotine, to switch off consisted of installing a filter at the end of the cigarette or in the cigarette holder. This filter can be made from various organic or mineral materials exist, such as cellulose, silica gel, etc. The effect is based on a treatment of the smoke for the purpose of JN ticot withdrawal.

There are also numerous methods known to determine the content of nicotine and tar in tobacco belittle yourself. All of these processes use one or more organic solvents and will performed on the tobacco leaves, cut tobacco, or processed tobacco. the however, most of these processes require several stages, with the main stage being extraction,

procedure

for continuous treatment
of tobacco

Applicant:

Sasmoco S.A.,

Lenzerheide, Graubünden (Switzerland)

Representative: Dr.-Ing. H. Fincke, Berlin-Lichterfelde,

Dipl.-Ing. A. Bohr, Dipl.-Ing. H. Bohr

and Dipl.-Ing. S. Staeger, Munich 5, Müllerstr. 31,

Patent attorneys

Claimed priority:
Switzerland from April 12 and October 21, 1957

Dr. med. Serge Neukomm, Prilly, Vaud,

and Dr. Jacques Bonnet, Lausanne (Switzerland),

have been named as inventors

during the remaining stages of a humidification, a p _H -Change by alkalization or acidification, an impregnation with an aqueous solution, etc., before or after the main stage, are made.

For example, it is known to remove the nicotine from tobacco leaves by keeping them at high temperatures Moistened up to 60 ° C to a water content of at least 30% and then with chlorinated hydrocarbons extracted. A removal of other, especially aromatic substances takes place here does not take place.

Furthermore, one already has tar and nicotine at the same time as chlorofluorocarbons, which are mostly are gaseous at normal pressure, extracted from tobacco, which is why the substances of the latter type the extraction must take place under pressure.

Because of this drawback and because of the difficulty in obtaining such chlorofluorocarbons and the associated high costs, however, this process has no commercial significance attained.

In contrast, it has now been found that in a technically simple manner using a non-flammable chlorinated hydrocarbons, the carcinogenic and irritating substances and their precursors, d. H. those substances which in the course of the

009 527/128

combustion can be converted into carcinogenic and irritating substances, continuously at least partially can remove from the tobacco or at least partially modify it in such a way that when you smoke the Tobacco is no longer dangerous.

This is achieved according to the invention in that the cut tobacco is made with a water content from 10 to 15% of a single-stage extraction for a maximum of 1 hour at room temperature (approx up to 25 ° C) and normal pressure with carbon tetrachloride.

It is expedient to use 1 to 21 solvents per kilogram of tobacco.

The tobacco treated in this way is rinsed and allowed to drain and can be removed from the tobacco that is still draining Solvent can be freed with the aid of a stream of air or some other suitable means before it is further processed.

The tobacco obtained in this way produces a smoke when it is burned, in which the tar material is converted at least about 30%, the anthracene and pyrene derivatives by at least about 40% and the 3,4-benzopyrene are reduced by at least about 55%. The irritating substances contained in the tar materials that although they are not carcinogenic themselves, they are, on the one hand, responsible for the smoker's cough and on the other hand favor the triggering of bronchial cancer, are also reduced in their amount. Of the On the other hand, nicotine content is likely to be decreased, but nicotine is increased by the inventive Procedure not completely removed.

This smoke still has a stimulating effect, which is very much appreciated by most smokers. These Benefits are achieved without any significant change in the taste and aroma of smoking, so that the smoker enjoys all the benefits of tobacco. If desired, the nicotine content can also be adjusted through use a filter, for example, can be further reduced.

The inventive method can, for example, in a U-shaped, at both ends be carried out open pipe, as shown schematically in the drawing. The cut one Tobacco 1, which comes out of the cutting device on a conveyor belt 2, is in the U-shaped Tube 3 introduced, which is equipped with a continuous conveyor provided with sieve plates is. With the help of these sieve plates, the tobacco flows through in countercurrent at room temperature a solvent zone 5 with the freshly introduced tobacco first with the most saturated solvent comes into contact, as is common in countercurrent extractions. The speed the conveyor is adjusted so that the tobacco is in contact for a maximum of 1 hour remains with the solvent. The solvent, which is in a ratio of 1 to 2 1 per Kilograms of tobacco in the lower part of the tube is continuously renewed with fresh solvent, which flows in through the supply pipe 6. On the other hand, the solvent leaves with the extracts the tube continuously through the drain line 7. The solvent can then be known Recovered and returned to the extraction cycle, while the ex- tracts can be separated, cleaned and in turn reused. The extracted tobacco will after leaving the solvent zone briefly with a small amount of solvent from the spray device 8 rinsed, and the solvent then drips into the drip zone 9 above the solvent level in the pipe. The tobacco is now in a drying zone 10 from the remaining adhering Solvent is freed with the help of a stream of air and is sent to the drying area on a conveyor belt or storage, where processing continues as usual.

The smoke from this tobacco has the full aroma of smoke from untreated tobacco however, less tar and fewer polycyclic hydrocarbons than that. The results obtained from of one type of tobacco to another are reproducible at any time, are summarized in the following table:

Type of tobacco

Maryland

Orient ...

Virginia.

Decrease in smoke of the treated
Tobacco in ° / o

Anthracene

41.2

43.3
48.5

Pyrene

38.2
43.0
45.0

3,4-benzopyrene

63.9
64.9
54.0

tar

32.5
33.3
34.2

The method according to the invention is particularly suitable for the production of cigarettes.

Claims (2)

Patent claims: 1. Process for the continuous treatment of tobacco with chlorinated hydrocarbons, characterized in that the cut tobacco with a water content of 10 to 15% at room temperature (about 18 to 25 ° C) and normal pressure with a single-stage extraction Subjected to carbon tetrachloride for a maximum of 1 hour. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that that 1 to 21 solvents are used per kilogram of tobacco. Considered publications:
German Patent No. 618,359;
U.S. Patent No. 2,227,863. 1 sheet of drawings