10th International Aerosol Conference September 2 - September 7, 2018 America's Center Convention Complex St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Flavors, Nicotine, E-Liquid Composition and Coil Temperature Impacts Size Distribution of Electronic Cigarette-Emitted Particles
ARIANE LECHASSEUR, Simon Altmejd, Nathalie Turgeon, David Brunet, Caroline Duchaine, Mathieu Morissette, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute - Université Laval
Abstract Number: 1404 Working Group: Health Related Aerosols
Abstract RATIONALE. Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) has become greatly popular throughout the years. E-cigarettes use propylene glycol and glycerol to deliver nicotine and flavors to the lungs. With hundreds of brands of e-cigarettes and thousands of types of flavors, characterization of the health impacts of e-cigarette is getting increasingly difficult.
OBJECTIVES. To investigate the impact of 1) coil temperature; 2) propylene glycol and glycerol concentrations; 3) nicotine presence and 4) flavors presence and type on e-cigarette particle size distribution.
METHODS. The inExpose e-cigarette extension (SCIREQ) was used in this study. We used the power-controlled and the temperature-controlled settings on the e-cigarette. Several e-liquids were used, using different propylene glycol and glycerol concentration. E-liquids contained 0 or 18 mg/ml of nicotine. For flavored e-liquids, menthol, vanillin and maltol were added. First, the e-cigarette was warmed up by puffing outside the collection system. Then, five 70 ml puffs, emitted every 30 seconds, were collected in a 45 L dilution chamber, with a dilution flow of 40 L/min. Measurements of particle size distribution were carried out by a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer spectrometer (SMPS 3080, TSI Inc).
RESULTS. To assess the impact of different atomizer temperature, we first used the power-controlled function, using two different coil resistance. We showed that, for each resistance, an increase in power generated a greater number of large particles. We also used the temperature-controlled setting, and showed that higher temperatures generated smaller particles compared to lower temperatures. We then assessed the impact of propylene glycol and glycerol on particle size and found that an increase in glycerol concentration led to the generation of larger particles. As for flavors, we showed that despite minor effect of menthol and maltol, vanillin dramatically shifts particle size distribution towards larger particles. We finally demonstrated that, regardless of propylene glycol:glycerol ratio or the presence of flavors, the addition of nicotine increased the size of generated particles.
CONCLUSION. This study shows that coil temperature, propylene glycol and glycerol concentrations and presence of nicotine and flavors affects the size distribution of e-cigarette emitted particles. This in turn affects the lung deposition of such particles. Therefore, as much in the clinical as in the animal models, e-cigarette settings and e-liquid composition should be taken in consideration when investigating the pulmonary impacts of e-cigarette.