Toxic metals leaking from e-cigarettes into vapour

[-V-]

Anyone seen this today published on the Mirror?

www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/toxic-metals-linked-brain-damage-12075246

Toxic metals linked with brain damage are 'leaking from e-cigarettes into vapour', experts have found
A study discovered that five metals - including lead, which is linked to brain damage - were found in the liquid of some devices

Researchers have found that metals are leaking from the components of e-cigarettes into the vapour - which could potentially be toxic when breathed in by the user.

A study discovered that five metals - including lead, which is linked to brain damage - were found in the liquid of the device, which is then heated up and inhaled.

In the study, researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, US, examined five brands' cigarette-like models of first generation vaping devices, which more closely resemble traditional cigarettes.

In 'cig-a-like' devices, liquid is stored in a cartridge along with the coil, which increases the liquid's exposure to the coil, even in the absence of heating.

The five brands tested are sold across the United States in big-box retail stores, convenience stores, and petrol stations, as well as online.

Three of the five brands constituted 71% of total market share in 2015.

To test the liquid for metal levels, the researchers extracted samples of the liquid that had not been heated by the coil prior to extraction. The liquid is a mixture of propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, and flavorings.

Because liquid volume varied considerably from brand to brand, the research team tested for concentrations of metals in micrograms per litre, and if a brand came in more than one flavour, the researchers chose one flavour for the sake of consistency.''

The metals - cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, and nickel - were all found in the tested liquids.


Ana Maria Rule, an assistant scientist in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, who led to the study, said: "We do not know if these levels are dangerous but their presence is troubling and could mean that the metals end up in the aerosol that e-cigarette users inhale.

"One of the things that is troubling is that the metals in e-cigarette coils, which heat the liquid that creates the aerosol, are toxic when inhaled, so perhaps regulators might want to look into an alternative material for e-cigarette heating coils."

She added: "It was striking, the varying degrees to which the metals were present in the liquid.

"This suggests that the FDA should consider regulating the quality control of e-cigarette devices along with the ingredients found in e-cigarette liquids.

[izan]

Interesting.

www.jhsph.edu/news/news-releases/2018/study-lead-and-other-toxic-metals-found-in-e-cigarette-vapors.html

Link to the study online: ehp.niehs.nih.gov/ehp2175/#c1


cheers
I

[Bob]

When will it stop - they will try anything to get rid of us

[solac77]

Most atties are made from stainless steel aren't they? I'd say that's pretty safe.

[Ron]

but the coils are made from the toxic metals found apparently

[GunJack]

Bl00dy cigalikes again....do people still use them??

[ceedee]

"For those asking questions about the latest study on metal emissions from e-cigarettes, here is my comment:

The "significant amount" of metals the authors reported they found were measured in ug/kg. In fact they are so low that for some cases (chromium and lead) I calculated that you need to vape more than 100 ml per day in order to exceed the FDA limits for daily intake from inhalational medications. The authors once again confuse themselves and everyone else by using environmental safety limits related to exposure with every single breath, and apply them to vaping. However, humans take more than 17,000 (thousand) breaths per day but only 400-600 puffs per day from an e-cigarette."

Konstantinos Farsalinos' post on Facebook

[Perpetua]

Exactly what I was going to post ceedee . . . . . for those who don't have a FB account as I'm not sure if you'll still be able to view the actual post.




I know whose opinion I trust in the continued scare mongering, anti vaping campaign.

[DaveJ]

Yep - I'd believe Dr F before I listened to many of those other "learned" people.


I reckon - without any qualifications, study, research or authority behind my opinion - you'd be breathing in more stuff likely to do you harm in any big, car choked city than you would using an e-cig.

[DaveJ]

I knew I'd see more on this - about nasty metals coming outa e-cigs I mean.

Over in a newish Aussie forum (hopefully cross posting/cross linking this relevant stuff is OK Perpetua ) linky to foreign place one member did a bit more looking into the article and, since his words cover it far better than I could, I quote it exactly as he wrote it:


Originally posted by "fabricator4":

Have a look at MOST of the studies referenced in that Gizmodo article, and they refer to previous in vitro or animal studies that have been discredited by scientists and members of the vaping community.

Find the real study though, and the truth becomes clear to anyone who actually bothers to read it.

Median Ni and Cr levels were 0.73 and 0.39 ?g/g creatinine in urine, 2.25 and 1.53 ?g/L in saliva, and 1.25 and 0.29 ?g/L in EBC.

Wow, scary stuff right?

Well, not exactly. 0.73ug/g of Ni in creatinine IN urine means 0.73 parts per Million in what is a very small component in urine (creatinine, one of the waste products in urine, usually in range of 1 to 1.5% of normal urine).

2.25 ug/l Ni in saliva means 2.25 parts per Billion in saliva, and similarly 1.25 parts per Billion in condensate from exhaled breath (EBC)

That's parts per billion, or 0.000000001

You'd need to see the real figures in the instrument output, but these are right on the edge of what can be even detected in the best lab equipment. These figures are certainly not even close to being of any concern. What a joke.

The study abstract in question used to justify this Gizmodo article doesn't even mention cadmium, arsenic, or lead, so where they are getting their information for a "new" study that finds these things is anybody's guess. You don't think if was of real concern that it wouldn't have been mentioned in the abstract?

Just another example of stupid journalism by excessively stupid people, all for the sake of creating a clickbait article with no regard for the truth or the harm that may be caused.

I'm not even going to go into the issue that this study doesn't even try to analyse the metals used in the coils and correlate it to the finding. If these people were even interested in doing some real science they would learn a bit more about what vaping is, and try to produce something that was helpful to vapers in knowing which metals produce the least amount of exposure. This is real work that needs to be done, however looking at the figures they did get it doesn't seem to be too urgent. I'm pretty sure Ni200 is a bad idea, but we do need to see a comparison of nichrome/Kanthal/SS/NiFe etc.

++++
My summary? I reckon I was right on the money a post or two ago when I said I prolly ought be more worried about crap in the air in big, busy cities than I ought to be about stuff raised in that article.




EDIT: μ symbol - didn't get into the above quote when I copied and pasted.... it's a scientific symbol for measurements.... something to do with character sets and such....

[joeten]

Now a video www.msn.com/en-gb/health/familyhealth/some-e-cigarette-coils-may-leach-lead-other-toxins-into-the-vapor/vi-BBJCqOT all of that seems to be based on the above report and not one piece of substantive evidence put in it.