Composition Studies on Tobacco: XLVI. Attempts to Modify Selected Biochemical Properties of Cigarette Smoke by the Use of Specially Treated Filters

Aqueous solutions of cigarette smoke produced by collecting smoke in dilute buffer were monitored during puffing for alterations in redox potential and pH. These solutions were examined subsequently for their inhibitory effect on yeast alcohol dehydrogenase, their reaction with model disulfide and sulfhydryl compounds, and their reaction with the colourimetric oxidation-reduction indicator 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol. These properties were selected to indicate possible biochemical reactions of smoke, and to distinguish between alternative theories for observed enzyme inactivation. Previous experiments had indicated that smoke constituents that react with sulfhydryls might be responsible for such behaviour and that such constituents might be removed selectively by filter agents. Cellulose cottons treated to introduce sulfhydryl and/or ion-exchange groups were employed as filter additives, and the smoke solutions were examined for alterations in their reactivity with the above tests. Sulfhydryl reactivity appears to be too slow for effective selective filtration of such reactants from tobacco smoke. The various tests are evaluated on the basis of the contribution of the two phases; the vapour phase contains the components affecting pH, aldehyde content, and reactions with disulfides, and the particulate matter phase contains the components mainly affecting the remaining tests