Are cigarette butts biodegradable? Most cigarette filters are composed of cellulose acetate, a form of plastic. The white fibers you see in a cigarette filter are NOT cotton, but a plastic that can persist in the environment as long as other forms of plastic. The following article reviews what is known about degradation mechanisms of cellulose acetate.
Cellulose acetate polymer is used to make a variety of consumer products including textiles, plastic films, and cigarette filters. A review of degradation mechanisms, and the possible approaches to diminish the environmental persistence of these materials, will clarify the current and potential degradation rates of these products after disposal. Various studies have been conducted on the biodegradability of cellulose acetate, but no review has been compiled which includes biological, chemical, and photo chemical degradation mechanisms.
Cellulose acetate is prepared by acetylating cellulose, the most abundant natural polymer. Cellulose is readily biodegraded by organisms that utilize cellulase enzymes, but due to the additional acetyl groups cellulose acetate requires the presence of esterases for the first step in biodegradation. Cellulose acetate is photo chemically degraded by UV wavelengths shorter than nm, but has limited photo degradability in sunlight due to the lack of chromophores for absorbing ultraviolet light.
What is in a typical cigarette filter? Are cigarettes biodegradable? How long does it take for cigarettes to decompose? Topic Harmful Effects of Tobacco. Subtopic Environment. More in harmful effects of tobacco. Nicotine Addiction. Of those it is estimated that 4. The cellulose acetate fibers used as the predominant filter material do not readily biodegrade because of the acetyl groups on the cellulose backbone which in itself can quickly be degraded by various microorganisms employing cellulases.
A normal life span of a discarded filter is thought to be up to 15 years. A world first. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. By Frederic Beaudry Frederic Beaudry. Learn about our editorial process. Share Twitter Pinterest Email. New Brief Sheds Insight. The Environmental Pros and Cons of Acetate.
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