US Patent 7165553 - Nanoparticles for Cigarettes

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7165553.pdf

There is some concern about possible health issues arising from the use of nanoparticles in a variety of products. However, this patent from Philip Morris proposes the benefits of catalytic nanoparticles to reduce the level of carbon monoxide produced from cigarettes. So smokers may soon be able to stop worrying about the ill effects of carbon monoxide (but perhaps may start worrying about the ill effects of nanoparticle inhalation.) Claim 1 reads:

1. A smoking article composition comprising tobacco cut filler, cigarette paper and/or cigarette filter material further comprising a catalyst capable of converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, wherein the catalyst comprises nanoscale catalyst particles dispersed within a porous aluminosilicate matrix, and wherein the nanoscale catalyst particles comprise iron oxide, and/or iron oxide hydroxide, and/or wherein the matrix further comprises magnesia, titania, yttria, ceria or mixtures thereof.