Preparation of Dual-Templated Filter Material Using Grafted Molecularly Imprinted Chitosan for Sequestration of Toxic Tobacco Smoke Products

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue V, May 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

Preparation of Dual-Templated Filter Material Using Grafted Molecularly Imprinted Chitosan for Sequestration of Toxic Tobacco Smoke Products

Obinna. Ofoegbu^1*, Patrice A.C. Okoye², Augustine. N. Eboatu² and Roongnapa S. Srichana³.

¹Polymer, Nano materials and Molecular recognition Research Group, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria.
²Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry Faculty of Natural Sciences, Nnamdi, Azikiwe University Awka. Anambra State, Nigeria.
³Molecular Recognition Materials Research Unit, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla, Thailand.
* Corresponding author

Abstract —- Smoke from Tobacco contains known toxicants and carcinogens. Outcomes from efforts at containing their impacts by the use of filters have had the challenges of biodegradability and non-recyclability. An imprinting strategy is used in preparing filter materials for sequestration of the degradation products by using a bio friendly, degradable polymer matrix of ‘Chitosan’, grafted with methacrylic acid thus, molecularly imprinted and non-imprinted polymers were synthesized. Evaluated interaction with the filter materials and sequestered target compounds, confirmed their utility value as studied. Fourier transformed infra-red spectroscopy showed the polymerization and products’ characteristic functional groups. The morphology and cavity integrities of the samples were determined by scanning electron (SEM) and transmission electron (TEM) microscopies. 1g each of filter samples, P5, P10, MP5, and MP10, were introduced into improvised cigarette holders and using an adapted machine-aided smoking regime, rolled Marlboro brand of cigarettes each weighing 0.75g (without butts), measuring 5.5cm length (without filter butt) and diameter of 0.8cm, were fixed into the improvised cigarette holders and toxicants were sequestered from them. Liquid chromatographic analysis of extracts from the filters was carried out. The fabricated filters sequestered over 60% (max) and above 25% (min) of the Nicotine and other toxicants from the smoked cigarette while comparatively the commercial filter sequestered a little above 10% of these from the stream. The filter materials with dual (blend) template cavities (P10 and MP10) sequestered much higher amount of the smoke stream toxicants than the commercial filters specifically in a 9:1 concentration ratio. This shows the advantaged utility potential of the fabricated MIPs over the conventional filters currently being used.

Keywords—– grafted-chitosan, dual-templated, molecularly imprinted, tobacco smoke stream, toxin-sequestration

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