Targeted Characterization of the Chemical Composition of JUUL Systems Aerosol and Comparison with 3R4F Reference Cigarettes and IQOS Heat Sticks

Bryant Hiraki,Patrick C Bailey,Xin Chen,Clarissa Yang,I Gene Gillman,Michael J Oldham

doi:10.3390/separations8100168

Abstract

Aerosol constituent yields have been reported from a wide range of electronic nicotine delivery systems. No comprehensive study has been published on the aerosol constituents generated from the JUUL system. Targeted analyses of 53 aerosol constituents from the four JUUL products currently on the US market (Virginia Tobacco and Menthol flavored e-liquids in both 5.0% and 3.0% nicotine concentration by weight) was performed using non-intense and intense puffing regimens. All measurements were conducted by an ISO 17025 accredited contract research organization. JUUL product aerosol constituents were compared to published values for the 3R4F research cigarette and IQOS Regular and Menthol heated tobacco products. Across the four JUUL products and two puffing regimes, only 10/53 analytes were quantifiable, including only two carbonyls (known propylene glycol or glycerol degradants). The remaining analytes were primary ingredients, nicotine degradants and water. Average analyte reductions (excluding primary ingredients and water) for all four JUUL system aerosols tested were greater than 98% lower than 3R4F mainstream smoke, and greater than 88% lower than IQOS aerosol. In summary, chemical characterization and evaluation of JUUL product aerosols demonstrates a significant reduction in toxicants when compared to mainstream cigarette smoke from 3R4F reference cigarettes or aerosols from IQOS-heated tobacco products.

Highlights

A number of compounds in tobacco smoke have been recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) [1] and the Agency has required the reporting of these toxicant levels in mainstream cigarette smoke [2]
A number of studies have investigated whether this is reflected in a reduced toxicant profile of electronic nicotine delivery system/s (ENDS) aerosol and concluded that compounds such as carbonyls [5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12], tobacco-specific nitrosamines [13,14,15], polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) [14,16,17], volatile organic compounds [8,14,18], and others [19,20] are significantly reduced in comparison to the levels in mainstream cigarette smoke
10 of the 53 aerosol constituents were quantifiable in any of the JUUL systems aerosols. All of these aerosol constituents were in Group I and were collected at the beginning, middle and end of pod life (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

A number of compounds in tobacco smoke have been recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) [1] and the Agency has required the reporting of these toxicant levels in mainstream cigarette smoke [2]. These compounds have toxicities relevant to a number of tobacco related diseases such as cancer, and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases [3]. If the background and sample results were statistically different, the difference between the sample mean and the background mean was computed (sample mean minus blank mean)

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