Exposure, Retention, Exhalation, Symptoms, and Environmental Accumulation of Chemicals During JUUL Vaping

Abstract

Little is known about the chemical exposures that electronic cigarette (EC) users receive and emit during JUUL vaping and if exposures produce symptoms dose dependently. This study examined chemical exposure (dose), retention, symptoms during vaping, and the environmental accumulation of exhaled propylene glycol (PG), glycerol (G), nicotine, and menthol in a cohort of human participants who vaped JUUL "Menthol" ECs. We refer to this environmental accumulation as "EC exhaled aerosol residue" (ECEAR). Chemicals were quantified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in JUUL pods before and after use, lab-generated aerosols, human exhaled aerosols, and in ECEAR. Unvaped JUUL "Menthol" pods contained ∼621.3 mg/mL of G, ∼264.9 mg/mL of PG, ∼59.3 mg/mL of nicotine, ∼13.3 mg/mL of menthol, and ∼0.1 mg/mL of the coolant WS-23. Eleven experienced male EC users (aged 21−26) provided exhaled aerosol and residue samples before and after vaping JUUL pods. Participants vaped ad libitum for 20 min, while their average puff count (22 ± 6.4) and puff duration (4.4 ± 2.0) were recorded. The transfer efficiency of nicotine, menthol, and WS-23 from the pod fluid into the aerosol varied with each chemical and was generally similar across flow rates (9−47 mL/s). At 21 mL/s, the average mass of each chemical retained by the participants who vaped 20 min was 53.2 ± 40.3 mg for G, 18.9 ± 14.3 mg for PG, 3.3 ± 2.7 mg for nicotine, and 0.5 ± 0.4 mg for menthol, with retention deduced to be ∼90−100% for each chemical. There was a significant positive relationship between the number of symptoms during vaping and total chemical mass retained. ECEAR accumulated on enclosed surfaces where it could contribute to passive exposure. These data will be valuable to researchers studying human exposure to EC aerosols and agencies that regulate EC products.

Ultrasonic Cigarettes: Chemicals and Cytotoxicity are Similar to Heated-Coil Pod-Style Electronic Cigarettes

“…Transfer of nicotine into the aerosol was between 74 and 100% efficient in SURGE and generally higher or similar to what has been reported in e-cigarettes. 13,74,78,79 Nicotine concentrations in both fluids and aerosols were highly correlated with cytotoxicity in the MTT assay, as has also been reported for e-cigarettes. 13…”

“…Transfer of nicotine into the aerosol was between 74 and 100% efficient in SURGE and generally higher or similar to what has been reported in ecigarettes. 13,74,78,79 Nicotine concentrations in both fluids and aerosols were highly correlated with cytotoxicity in the MTT assay, as has also been reported for e-cigarettes. 13 While WS-23 was present in SURGE fluids at concentrations within the range found in Puff fluids (range = 0.8 -45 mg/mL), 14 "Watermelon Ice" had one of the highest concentrations of WS-23 (31 mg/mL) we have seen in tobacco products.…”

A synthetic coolant (WS-23) in disposable electronic cigarettes impairs cytoskeletal function in EpiAirway microtissues exposed at the air liquid interface

“…EBDESIGN Pi7000 and EBDESIGN TE6000 are rechargeable and reach 7000 and 6000 puffs, respectively. As was recently shown, the number of symptoms reported by JUUL users increased with increasing puff number 21 , suggesting these newer devices with higher puff numbers may be more likely to increase adverse health effects than earlier generation products that deliver low puff numbers.…”

“…Based on data on chemical intake and retention in 11 JUUL users 21 , we estimated the exposure to WS-23 that EC users would receive based on WS-23 concentrations in our study. Using the average WS-23 concentration in our study (21.42 mg/ml) and assuming a 100% transfer efficiency, about 33.64 (± 14.54) µg of WS-23 would be absorbed by users/puff.…”

Policy-relevant differences between secondhand and thirdhand smoke: strengthening protections from involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke pollutants

“…While similar principles apply to the chemical residue left behind by electronic nicotine delivery devices and by cannabis consumption through smoking, vaping or dabbing, our discussion will focus on combustible tobacco products (eg, cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco) for which the scientific evidence is currently more advanced. [74][75][76][77] Persistent pollutant reservoirs SHS is a complex and dynamic mixture of thousands of chemicals released into the air from the smouldering tip of a cigarette, cigar or pipe (ie, sidestream smoke) and exhaled mainstream smoke. 1 78 Even though some SHS gases and particulate matter may be removed from the air by ventilation, the semivolatile and particulate matter constituents adsorb onto surfaces, accumulate in dust and become embedded in materials.…”