AAAR 37th Annual Conference October 14 - October 18, 2019 Oregon Convention Center Portland, Oregon, USA
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Aerosol Size Distribution and Aldehyde Concentration Measurements of the Sub-ohm Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems
VLADIMIR MIKHEEV, Stephanie S. Buehler, Alexander Ivanov, Battelle Memorial Institute
Abstract Number: 652 Working Group: Health-Related Aerosols
Abstract Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are considered as a safer alternative to the combustible tobacco smoking but actual level of the harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHC) emitted by ENDS remains unclear. Newest ENDS with electrically heated coil resistance less than one ohm (sub-ohm) can be used at heating power level up to ~200 W that significantly exceeds earlier types of electronic cigarettes. Characterization of both physical (aerosol size distribution) and chemical properties of the aerosol generated by sub-ohm ENDS is urgently needed to assess harmful risk of these devices.
Sub-ohm ENDS were used to generate aerosol out of propylene glycol and glycerol 50/50 mixture at a wide range of heating power level (from 10 to 150 W) and at the various puffing flow rates (10 – 70 mL/s). Aerosol size distribution was analyzed using differential mobility spectrometer (DMS500) and Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI). Aldehydes concentration was measured using Proton-Transfer Reaction Quadrupole Mass-Spectrometer (PTR-QMS). Total particulate mass (TPM) was defined by taking gravimetric analysis of the aerosol deposited on the quartz-fiber filters.
Particles of larger size (than was previously measured for the first generation of e-cigarettes) was observed (mass median aerodynamic diameter ~1 micron). High concentration of aldehydes (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein) exceeding the level previously measured for the earlier types of e-cigarettes was detected (starting from 50 W heating power and higher). TPM has exceeded 50 mg/puff. High concentration of HPHCs (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein) detected in sub-ohm ENDS emissions increases health concerns associated with vaping of these devices.