Elimination and Reduction of Harmful Substances in Cigarette Smoke, Using Nanomaterials: Study Protocol for a Systematic Review

Abstract Background Cigarette smoke is an aerosol containing more than thousands of chemical compounds, several of which are carcinogens and toxic. Many efforts have been made to use nanomaterials (NMs) to remove and filter toxic substances in cigarette smoke. Due to the characteristics of MLs and their selectivity to different compounds, NMs have a high potential for practical application in reducing harmful compounds in cigarette smoke. The objective of this systematic review is to collect, combine, and analyze the basic intervention research on NMs for removal and reduction of harmful substances in cigarette smoke. This systematic review will determine the most important factors and expected characterizations for the development or commercialization of a new filters. Finally, we will review the challenges of using NMs-based interventions. Methods This protocol is based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-P protocol and Cochrane methodology. The inclusion/exclusion criteria are determined based on PICOTS (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome, Time, Study Design) Framework. The Comprehensive literature searches will be conducted in international databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct and 3Iranian database, including SID, Iranmedex and Magiran. The quality of the papers and the risk of bias will be assessed using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) methodology. The results will be presented in the text as well as in a table and figure based on the SWiM guidelines (Synthesis Without Meta-analysis). the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist and guidelines will be tracked to certify a robustness and reproducibility of the process. Discussion A comprehensive analysis of the studies conducted in this field can identify research needs, examine the current and expected situation, provide the necessary parameters for research and development of new filters and ultimately determine the effective priorities for further effective interventions.