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Changing of Chemical Composition and Potential Exposure Risks of Aerosols from Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems as a Function of E-Liquid Composition and Heating Power
YUE ZHANG, Sarah Suda Petters, Jin Yan, Nicolas Aliaga Buchenau, N. Cazimir Armstrong, Michelle McCombs, Timothy Fennell, Elena Mishina, Kamau Peters, Jonathan Thornburg, Jason Surratt, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Abstract Number: 535
Working Group: Health-Related Aerosols
Abstract
Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) aerosolize a mix of chemicals in e-liquids, including main components, propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerin (VG), and additives, that is then inhaled. ENDS use has dramatically increased recently, especially in youth. While ENDS may be perceived as a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes due to the absence of inhalation of combustion byproducts, the health risks associated with inhalation of aerosolized PG/VG and their by-products are unknown. Thus, it is important to identify the complex mixture of chemical constituents that make up ENDS aerosols to further aid in evaluating systemic exposures and health risk assessments. This study systematically examines the chemical properties of e-liquids from a commercially available ENDS with a range of selected e-liquid compositions and operation settings. The e-liquids consisting of selected ratios of PG and VG were aerosolized with selected voltage settings that represent common usage. The ENDS aerosol was continuously sampled in real-time by an aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM).
The mass spectral data collected by the ACSM describe the chemical composition of the ENDS aerosol changed depending on e-liquid composition and heating power of the ENDS. The particle phase of the ENDS aerosol plumes mostly consisted of VG due to its low vapor pressure. A higher heating power of the ENDS was directly correlated to a higher ratio of ions with high mass-to-charge ratios (m/z), indicating more oligomer formation with a higher coil temperature of ENDS. Given that some of the oligomers may be more toxic and difficult to decompose compared with PG and VG molecules, the findings of this study suggest that the behaviors and preferences of ENDS users could lead to differences in systemic exposures and potential health risks. This study also establishes a source apportionment method that can be used to identify the chemical composition of ENDS generated aerosols, which can be further used to inform tobacco-product control and real-time air monitoring.