Abstract

This invention provides a process for so treating tobacco, for use in cigars or cigarettes, as to activate the surface of the tobacco to remove the undesirable components of the smoke as the smoke passes along the cigar or cigarette, before reaching the smoker. The process provides for grafting onto the cellulosic constituents of the tobacco a graft polymer or copolymer having free functional groups reactive with the undesirable component of the tobacco smoke. The cellulosic constituents can be activated by an ionic or free radical process to yield a reactive site on the cellulosic chain which can subsequently be reacted with monomers containing active double bonds, e.g., olefins, vinyl monomers or acrylic monomers as well as polymerizable ring compounds each having the desired active substituents. Preferably, this invention is applicable to treating tobacco so as to provide a graft polymer or copolymer containing acidic groups which can react with the basic, or alkaline, components of tobacco smoke. This invention also provides an activated tobacco comprising graft polymers or copolymers formed on its surface.