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Hopstock KS, Perraud V, Dalton AB, Barletta B, Meinardi S, Weltman RM, Mirkhanian MA, Rakosi KJ, Blake DR, Edwards RD, Nizkorodov SA. Chemical Analysis of Exhaled Vape Emissions: Unraveling the Complexities of Humectant Fragmentation in a Human Trial Study. Chem Res Toxicol 2024. [PMID: 38769630 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.4c00088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Electronic cigarette smoking (or vaping) is on the rise, presenting questions about the effects of secondhand exposure. The chemical composition of vape emissions was examined in the exhaled breath of eight human volunteers with the high chemical specificity of complementary online and offline techniques. Our study is the first to take multiple exhaled puff measurements from human participants and compare volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations between two commonly used methods, proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) and gas chromatography (GC). Five flavor profile groups were selected for this study, but flavor compounds were not observed as the main contributors to the PTR-ToF-MS signal. Instead, the PTR-ToF-MS mass spectra were overwhelmed by e-liquid thermal decomposition and fragmentation products, which masked other observations regarding flavorings and other potentially toxic species associated with secondhand vape exposure. Compared to the PTR-ToF-MS, GC measurements reported significantly different VOC concentrations, usually below those from PTR-ToF-MS. Consequently, PTR-ToF-MS mass spectra should be interpreted with caution when reporting quantitative results in vaping studies, such as doses of inhaled VOCs. Nevertheless, the online PTR-ToF-MS analysis can provide valuable qualitative information by comparing relative VOCs in back-to-back trials. For example, by comparing the mass spectra of exhaled air with those of direct puffs, we can conclude that harmful VOCs present in the vape emissions are largely absorbed by the participants, including large fractions of nicotine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine S Hopstock
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Véronique Perraud
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Avery B Dalton
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Barbara Barletta
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Simone Meinardi
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Robert M Weltman
- Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Megan A Mirkhanian
- Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Krisztina J Rakosi
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Donald R Blake
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Rufus D Edwards
- Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Sergey A Nizkorodov
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
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Vaping-Associated Lung Injury: A Review. Medicina (B Aires) 2022; 58:medicina58030412. [PMID: 35334588 PMCID: PMC8949983 DOI: 10.3390/medicina58030412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Since commercial development in 2003, the usage of modern electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) continues to increase amongst people who have never smoked, ex-smokers who have switched to e-cigarettes, and dual-users of both conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes. With such an increase in use, knowledge of the irritative, toxic and potential carcinogenic effects on the lungs is increasing. This review article will discuss the background of e-cigarettes, vaping devices and explore their popularity. We will further summarise the available literature describing the mechanism of lung injury caused by e-cigarette or vaping use.
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Marrocco A, Singh D, Christiani DC, Demokritou P. E-cigarette vaping associated acute lung injury (EVALI): state of science and future research needs. Crit Rev Toxicol 2022; 52:188-220. [PMID: 35822508 PMCID: PMC9716650 DOI: 10.1080/10408444.2022.2082918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
"E-Cigarette (e-cig) Vaping-Associated Acute Lung Injury" (EVALI) has been linked to vitamin-E-acetate (VEA) and Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), due to their presence in patients' e-cigs and biological samples. Lacking standardized methodologies for patients' data collection and comprehensive physicochemical/toxicological studies using real-world-vapor exposures, very little data are available, thus the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of EVALI is still unknown. This review aims to provide a comprehensive and critical appraisal of existing literature on clinical/epidemiological features and physicochemical-toxicological characterization of vaping emissions associated with EVALI. The literature review of 161 medical case reports revealed that the predominant demographic pattern was healthy white male, adolescent, or young adult, vaping illicit/informal THC-containing e-cigs. The main histopathologic pattern consisted of diffuse alveolar damage with bilateral ground-glass-opacities at chest radiograph/CT, and increased number of macrophages or neutrophils and foamy-macrophages in the bronchoalveolar lavage. The chemical analysis of THC/VEA e-cig vapors showed a chemical difference between THC/VEA and the single THC or VEA. The chemical characterization of vapors from counterfeit THC-based e-cigs or in-house-prepared e-liquids using either cannabidiol (CBD), VEA, or medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), identified many toxicants, such as carbonyls, volatile organic compounds, terpenes, silicon compounds, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, pesticides and various industrial/manufacturing/automotive-related chemicals. There is very scarce published toxicological data on emissions from THC/VEA e-liquids. However, CBD, MCT, and VEA emissions exert varying degrees of cytotoxicity, inflammation, and lung damage, depending on puffing topography and cell line. Major knowledge gaps were identified, including the need for more systematic-standardized epidemiological surveys, comprehensive physicochemical characterization of real-world e-cig emissions, and mechanistic studies linking emission properties to specific toxicological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Marrocco
- Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Dilpreet Singh
- Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David C. Christiani
- Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Philip Demokritou
- Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Environmental Occupational Health Sciences Institute, School of Public Health, Rutgers University, 170 Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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