"Juice Monsters": Sub-Ohm Vaping and Toxic Volatile Aldehyde Emissions

Chem Res Toxicol. 2017 Oct 16;30(10):1791-1793. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.7b00212. Epub 2017 Sep 29.

Abstract

An emerging category of electronic cigarettes (ECIGs) is sub-Ohm devices (SODs) that operate at ten or more times the power of conventional ECIGs. Because carcinogenic volatile aldehyde (VA) emissions increase sharply with power, SODs may expose users to greater VAs. In this study, we compared VA emissions from several SODs and found that across device, VAs and power were uncorrelated unless power was normalized by coil surface area. VA emissions and liquid consumed were correlated highly. Analyzed in light of EU regulations limiting ECIG liquid nicotine concentration, these findings suggest potential regulatory levers and pitfalls for protecting public health.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Aldehydes / analysis*
  • Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / instrumentation*
  • Humans
  • Nicotine / analysis
  • Vaping*

Substances

  • Aldehydes
  • Nicotine