Metal Concentration Assessment in the Urine of Cigarette Smokers Who Switched to Electronic Cigarettes: A Pilot Study

Adam Prokopowicz, Andrzej Sobczak, Jerzy Szdzuj, Katarzyna Grygoyć and Leon Kośmider
Additional contact information
Adam Prokopowicz: Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas, 6, Kossutha St., 40-844 Katowice, Poland
Andrzej Sobczak: Department of General and Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 4 St., 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Jerzy Szdzuj: Institute of Environmental Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 34 Str., 41-819 Zabrze, Poland
Katarzyna Grygoyć: Institute of Environmental Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 34 Str., 41-819 Zabrze, Poland
Leon Kośmider: Department of General and Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 4 St., 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-12

Abstract: Background : E-cigarettes (ECs) seem to be a less harmful alternative for conventional cigarettes, however, very little is still known about the exposure to some elements, which are the components of this device and may contaminate the nicotine liquid. The aim of this study is to assess whether e-cigarette users are more exposed to 12 elements detected in aerosol than non-smokers and conventional cigarette smokers, using their concentrations in urine as exposure biomarkers. Methods: A cross-sectional, group-based survey was carried out using 90 volunteers classified into groups of non-smokers, EC-only users, dual EC users-cigarette smokers and cigarette-only smokers. Using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS), Cr, Ni, Co, Ag, In, Mn, Ba, Sr, V, Sb, Cd and Pb levels were measured in spot urine samples. Among the selected groups, a comparison was made using the analysis of covariance and correlations with EC usage pattern were assessed by multiple linear regression. Results: Element concentrations in urine of EC-users were not significantly different from the levels found in non-smokers and smokers. Only in the case of Ba, Ni and Sb was a significant correlation found in relation to some e-cigarette usage patterns. Conclusion: Transfer of the investigated elements to the EC aerosol was not found to be a substantial source of exposure in EC users who quitted smoking.

Keywords: electronic cigarettes; metals; elements; urine (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/6/1877/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/6/1877/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:6:p:1877-:d:332276

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().