18 Apr GREAT NEWS FOR ALL FANS OF CIGARETTES! New filters make cigarettes less harmful
We all know how much tobacco smoke is harmful to our health, but the good news are coming from the nanotechnology laboratory. Scientists have found a way to reduce the toxic effects of tobacco smoke, and the solution is in the application of copper nanoparticles which mimic the powerful antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase.
Nanoparticles against the harmful effects of tobacco smoke
Tobacco smoke is an important source of free radicals, unstable molecules or ions which if present in high concentrations cause oxidative stress and cell damage. Oxidative stress is a major cause of many diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and lung cancer. The main line of defense against free radicals within the cells is the enzyme superoxide dismutase, which requires presence of copper for its activity in neutralizing free radicals. Consequently, scientists have recently made a cigarette filter consisting of copper nanoparticles which is capable to eliminate the toxic components of tobacco smoke more efficiently than the enzyme superoxide dismutase.
Scientists believe that the filters with copper nanoparticles will have a significant commercial use, since their production is cheap and rapid, and the efficiency in the neutralization of the free radicals up to 15%.
source: www.chemistryworld.com