Toxicity Assessment of Refill Liquids for Electronic Cigarettes

Vincent Varlet, Konstantinos Farsalinos, Marc Augsburger, Aurélien Thomas and Jean-François Etter
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Vincent Varlet: Unit of Toxicology, University Center of Legal Medicine, 1000 Lausanne 25, Switzerland
Konstantinos Farsalinos: Department of Cardiology, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Kallithea 17674, Greece
Marc Augsburger: Unit of Toxicology, University Center of Legal Medicine, 1000 Lausanne 25, Switzerland
Aurélien Thomas: Unit of Toxicology, University Center of Legal Medicine, 1000 Lausanne 25, Switzerland
Jean-François Etter: Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: We analyzed 42 models from 14 brands of refill liquids for e-cigarettes for the presence of micro-organisms, diethylene glycol, ethylene glycol, hydrocarbons, ethanol, aldehydes, tobacco-specific nitrosamines, and solvents. All the liquids under scrutiny complied with norms for the absence of yeast, mold, aerobic microbes, Staphylococcus aureus , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Diethylene glycol, ethylene glycol and ethanol were detected, but remained within limits authorized for food and pharmaceutical products. Terpenic compounds and aldehydes were found in the products, in particular formaldehyde and acrolein. No sample contained nitrosamines at levels above the limit of detection (1 ?g/g). Residual solvents such as 1,3-butadiene, cyclohexane and acetone, to name a few, were found in some products. None of the products under scrutiny were totally exempt of potentially toxic compounds. However, for products other than nicotine, the oral acute toxicity of the e-liquids tested seems to be of minor concern. However, a minority of liquids, especially those with flavorings, showed particularly high ranges of chemicals, causing concerns about their potential toxicity in case of chronic oral exposure.

Keywords: electronic cigarette; electronic nicotine delivery systems; e?cigarette; e?liquid; quality control. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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