Nucleic acid based filters

Abstract

The present invention provides a filter for removing carcinogens from a gas or liquid. The filter contains nucleic acids, for example DNA or apurinic acid, with which the carcinogens may react. In specific embodiments the filters are used for tobacco smoke or industrial pollutants.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to the field of filters. More specifically, it is related to carcinogen-reducing filters formed from nucleic acids and more specifically filters for cigarette smoke. BACKGROUND Filters are generally used to remove an unwanted substance from a desirable substance. This may be accomplished by a variety of mechanisms, the two most prominent being size exclusion and adherence to the filter. Because most carcinogens are small molecules, adherence is the preferred method of carcinogen removal by a filter. Previously a wide variety of filters have been constructed to remove carcinogens from other substances by inducing adherence of the carcinogens to the filter. However, these filters are often expensive, ineffective or dangerous or toxic themselves, among other problems. Applications for such filters abound and range from treatment of industrial effluents to removal or carcinogens, such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons, from tobacco smoke. Accordingly...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention also includes a method for reducing the amount of carcinogen in a carcinogen-containing material by passing the material through a filter of the present invention. In specific embodiments the carcinogen-containing material may include tobacco smoke, combustion exhaust and liquid effluent.

The invention includes a method of making a filter for carcinogen reduction by forming a filtering material into a porous filter body and applying a nucleic acid to the filtering material. In specific embodiments, the nucleic acid includes purified DNA or apurinic acid. In other specific embodiments, the nucleic acid may be applied in a liquid solution. The filter material may th

Problems solved by technology

However, these filters are often expensive, ineffective or dangerous or toxic themselves, among other problems.

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