Abstract: An article of manufacture, such as a wiper, especially suited for use in a controlled environment, such as a cleanroom environment, and a method for controlling the entry of deleterious particles into the controlled environment, within which environment a process is carried out, the article being constructed of fibers of a synthetic polymeric material of the type including only constituents which are relatively benign in that the included constituents will be less likely to have a deleterious effect upon the process carried out in the controlled environment or upon the product of that process, the method including constructing the article of such fibers, the preferred synthetic polymeric materials including no more than only negligible amounts of inorganic constituents or metallic constituents, one such preferred synthetic polymeric material being nylon bright.

Abstract: Smokable tobacco compositions having a reduced tendency to produce carbon monoxide and made by including in the composition an alkali-metal salt of a carboxylic acid in the range of from about 6.5 to about 20%. Such additives have been included in smoking compositions in the past, but normally in minor amounts and as burn enhancers. In accordance with the invention increased amounts result in greatly reduced production of undesirable carbon monoxide while not otherwise adversely affecting the tobacco smokable composition. At higher concentrations such additives may retard burn which may be further desirable where fast burning tobacco compositions are employed. Examples of alkali-metal salts include sodium or potassium salts of acids such as carbonic, formic, acetic, propionic, malic, lactic, glycolic, citric, tartaric, fumaric, malonic, and succinic.

Abstract: Sheet material especially useful in forming wrappers for smokable articles such as cigarettes that results in reduced sidestream smoke. The sheet is formed by applying to a cellulosic web an amount of an alkali metal salt greatly in excess of the amounts of such materials previously used as burn enhancers. The cellulosic material may be flax fiber or other natural cellulosic fibers conventionally used for such wrappers. Examples of salts include the sodium or potassium salts of acids such as carbonic, formic, acetic, propionic, malic, lactic, glycolic, citric, tartaric, fumaric, oxalic, malonic, succinic, nitric, and phosphoric. The composition can be applied by any conventional method such as coating, dipping, impregnating, printing, and the like. For example, at least about 6% by weight of potassium citrate is needed to obtain the benefits of the invention, and preferably an amount in the range of from about 12% to about 16% by weight.

Abstract: Natural tobacco is extracted with water to produce a soluble extract and an insoluble fibrous residue. The aqueous extract is contacted by microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi, capable of converting nitrate in the extract to nitrogen. Contacting may be done by adding a microorganism culture to a batch of the extract, or by passing the aqueous extract through a filter carrying a supply of the microorganisms. In either case, the contacting should take place in a substantially anaerobic environment. The culture may be produced by cycling a quantity of tobacco extract through a filtering medium to promote the growth of microorganisms occurring naturally in tobacco. Carbohydrate and/or protein is added to the denitrated extract to replace compounds depleted during the denitrating procedure. Ultimately, the denitrated extract is recombined with the fibrous tobacco residue.