A facile synthesis and application of protoporphyrin derivatives on reducing the tobacco specific N-nitroamines levels of smoke

Abstract

Two protoporphyrin derivatives were prepared by a facile method using inexpensive hemin as starting material. They were added to cigarette filters to reduce the carcinogenic tobacco specific N-nitroamines (TSNAs), especially toward NNK (4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone) and NNN (N-nitrosonornicotine) for environment protection and public health. The reduction level of TSNAs was reached to 37.6% from MSS, with greater reductions when more porphyrin was included in the filter. The decrease level for NNK by protoporphyrin derivatives is more effective than NNN. The interaction between protoporphyrin derivatives and TSNAs (NNK and NNN) were investigated by fluorescence spectra and UV-visible titration. The correlation coefficients were 0.978~0.997 and the binding constants was the scope from 1.26 × 103 to 4.04 × 104. The interaction mechanisms between protoporphyrin derivatives and, NNK and NNN are possibly the co-interaction of hydrogen bond binding and strong π–π stacking.