Patent ID: 8720450

Claim:
A filter element adapted for use in a smoking article and providing filtration of both particulate material and at least one gaseous component of mainstream smoke, comprising at least one segment of fibrous tow comprising a plurality of individual filaments, wherein each individual filament comprises a plurality of adsorbent material particles at least partially encapsulated with a removable encapsulant imbedded therein such that the adsorbent material particles are dispersed within each individual filament structure, and wherein at least a portion of the encapsulated adsorbent material particles have a surface area portion exposed on the surface of said individual filament, and at least a portion of the exposed surface area portion is free of encapsulant, and wherein each individual filament further comprises an outer coating comprising a plurality of reactive groups attached to the surface of each individual filament by chemisorption or physisorption and adapted for reaction with one or more components of mainstream smoke selected from the group consisting of hydrogen cyanide, pyridine, quinoline, butadiene, toluidine, naphthylamine, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, mercury, cadmium, methanol, isoprene, acetone, acrolein, methyl ethyl ketone, acrylonitrile, benzene, toluene, styrene, phenols, and aldehydes.