The effect of the pore size and volume of activated carbon on adsorption efficiency of vapor phase compounds in cigarette smoke

Adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in cigarette smoke by activated carbons was measured to investigate the correlation between the adsorption efficiencies of the VOCs and pore size and volume of the activated carbons. The adsorption efficiency E is defined by E = (Ci,in–Ci,out)/Ci,in where Ci,in and Ci,out are the concentration of the ith VOC component in cigarette smoke before and after adsorption, respectively. E relates to a weight of activated carbons w which is described by a logarithmic penetration equation, ln(1 − E) = −Kw (K: constant). The value of K for one smoke constituent increased linearly with the adsorption capacity determined by DR plot, W0. K was well predicted by the value of the slope, D, of DR plot as K = (a1D2 + a2D + a3)W0, (a1, a2, a3: constants), and this equation can be applicable to various smoke constituents by substituting the affinity coefficient (β) of a given adsorbate included in D. Thus, the adsorption efficiency of various smoke constituents for a particular activated carbon is predicted by analyzing W0 and D for an adsorbate in cigarette smoke.