Abstract: In order to investigate the selective retention of aroma substances with different molecular weights by grooved filter, common acetate fiber filter, inner grooved filter and peripherally grooved filter were studied. Cigarettes were smoked by a smoking machine, the aroma substances in Cambridge filter pads and cigarette filters were extracted and analyzed by SDE-GC/MS method. The relationship between aroma substance's molecular weight and selective retention behavior was analyzed via cluster and variance analyses. The results showed that:1) Ninety-five aroma substances were detected in cigarette filters and Cambridge filter pads. 2) Aroma substances were grouped by molecular weight, and the average selective retention coefficient increased with the decrease in average molecular weight of each group. 3) The species and molecular weight of aroma substance significantly influenced the selective retention, and there existed an interaction effect between them. 4) The lower the aroma substance molecular weight was, the more obvious the difference of selective retention between the different kind filters was observed.