Тoxic components of vape aerosol

Abstract

In the article, the authors review toxic effects of the va-pour of electronic nicotine delivery systems’ (ends’), or vaping. Nicotine, the main component of the ends’ li-quids, is addictive, while ionization of nicotine increases its solubility and allows to use the liquids in electronic cig-arettes with higher concentrations of dissolved nicotine. рН value of liquid nicotine is decreased when various ac-ids are added to the nicotine freebase, most well-known and most commonly used being: lactic, benzoic, 4-оxo-pentanoic, salycilic, malic, and tartaric acids. Such feelings as tickling in the throat, headache, cough, and others are fewer when vaping. Besides nicotine, vaping cartridg-es contain flavourants; approximately 85% ends’ liquids contained flavourants at concentrations higher than 1 mg/ml, 37% — >10 mg/ml. Some products contained menthol and ethyl maltol in concentrations 30 and 100 times higher that their cytotoxic values. Оne of smoke liquids contained cinnamaldehyde in concentrations around 343 mg/ml, which is more than 100,000 times higher its cytotoxic value. Some compounds, which by themselves are not toxic, may form toxic substances when heated. For example, propylene glycol when ox-idized produces a mixture of acetone, aldehyde, lactic acid, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde; while oxidation of glycerine leads to the formation of formaldehyde, al-dehyde, and acrylaldehyde. The study showed that 150 heating cycles led to the loss of chrome and iron from cantal coils (up tо 19 % and 58 %, respectively); iron and nickel from nichrome coils (up tо 14% and 43%, respec-tively). Some data show the risk for the development of bronchial asthma (BA), other respiratory diseases, and overall unfavourable impact of the ends’ vapour on cardio-vascular system, and ENT organs. Electronic cig-arettes may enhance genotoxic effects of the tobacco smoke cancerogenes. Conclusion. Both nicotine, fla-vourants, smoke liquids’ heating products (propylene, glycol, glycerine), and metals may have unfavourable impact on health. More and more studies appear that demonstrate such toxic effects, or cancerogenesis in an-imal or cell models.