Application of Novel Patent‐Based Effervescent Tablet as a Selective Filter for Removing Hazardous Chemical Materials in Hookah Smoke: Determination and Comparison of Toxic Chemical Compounds in Hookah Smoke Versus Cigarette Smoke

A novel patent-based effervescent tablet was developed and evaluated as a selective filter for reducing hazardous chemical compounds in hookah smoke. The study combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) to identify and quantify major toxicants. Hookah smoke was trapped using cellulose nanofiber-based solvent chambers and latex puff chambers, followed by analysis of volatile organic compounds (nicotine, propylene oxide, formaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, acrolein, acetaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene, benzopyrene, pyridine, phenol, benzene) and potentially toxic trace elements (PTEs) such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and chromium. Detection limits (LODs) ranged from 0.003 to 0.04 mg/g, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) below 13%. The effervescent tablet reduced > 81% of hazardous compounds while selectively lowering nicotine and flavor by approximately 15%, maintaining user acceptability. Compared with cigarette smoke, unfiltered hookah smoke contained significantly higher levels of aldehydes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, whereas filtered hookah smoke showed markedly lower contaminant concentrations than both cigarette and e-cigarette smoke. The proposed method demonstrates innovation by integrating a user-friendly, selective effervescent tablet with high recovery (92%-102%) and accuracy, offering a practical strategy for harm reduction in hookah smoking.