Result Filters See comment in PubMed Commons belowAddiction.Epub 2015 May 20.E-cigarettes generate high levels of aldehydes only in 'dry puff' conditions.Farsalinos KE1,2, Voudris V1, Poulas K2.Author information1Department of Cardiology, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Sygrou, Kallithea, Greece.2Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, Rio-Patras, Greece.AbstractBACKGROUND AND AIMS: Aldehydes are emitted by electronic cigarettes due to thermal decomposition of liquid components.Although elevated levels have been reported with new-generation high-power devices, it is unclear whether they are relevant to true exposure of users (vapers) because overheating produces an unpleasant taste, called a dry puff, which vapers learn to avoid.The aim was to evaluate aldehyde emissions at different power levels associated with normal and dry puff conditions.DESIGN: Two customizable atomizers were prepared so that one (A1) had a double wick, resulting in high liquid supply and lower chance of overheating at high power levels, while the other (A2) was a conventional setup (single wick).

Experienced vapers took 4-s puffs at 6.5 watts (W), 7.5 W, 9 W and 10 W power levels with both atomizers and were asked to report whether dry puffs were generated.The atomizers were then attached to a smoking machine and aerosol was trapped.SETTING: Clinic office and analytical chemistry laboratory in Greece.PARTICIPANTS: Seven experienced vapers.MEASUREMENTS: Aldehyde levels were measured in the aerosol.FINDINGS: All vapers identified dry puff conditions at 9 W and 10 W with A2.A1 did not lead to dry puffs at any power level.Minimal amounts of aldehydes per 10 puffs were found at all power levels with A1 (up to 11.3 µg for formaldehyde, 4.5 µg for acetaldehyde and 1.0 µg for acrolein) and at 6.5 W and 7.5 W with A2 (up to 3.7 µg for formaldehyde, 0.8 µg for acetaldehyde and 1.3 µg for acrolein).The levels were increased by 30 to 250 times in dry puff conditions (up to 344.6 µg for formaldehyde, 206.3 µg for acetaldehyde and 210.4 µg for acrolein, P < 0.001), while acetone was detected only in dry puff conditions (up to 22.5 µg).CONCLUSIONS: Electronic cigarettes produce high levels of aldehyde only in dry puff conditions, in which the liquid overheats, causing a strong unpleasant taste that e-cigarette users detect and avoid.

Under normal vaping conditions aldehyde emissions are minimal, even in new-generation high-power e-cigarettes.© 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.KEYWORDS: Acetaldehyde; Electronic cigarette; acetone; acrolein; aerosol; aldehydes; dry puff; formaldehydeComment inPMID: 25996087 DOI: 10.1111/add.12942 [Indexed for MEDLINE] MeSH termsAerosols/chemistryAldehydes/analysis*Analysis of VarianceElectronic Cigarettes*HumansVaping*SubstancesAerosolsAldehydesFull Text SourcesWileyOvid Technologies, Inc.MedicalE-Cigarettes - MedlinePlus Health Information Supplemental ContentAdvocates tout the e-cigarette as a clean alternative to old-fashioned tobacco, one that can even help people quit smoking.But although the companies making these largely unregulated products promote e-cigarettes as safe and pure, the reality is a little more complicated.Here are four common misconceptions about e-cigarettes, and the scientific evidence against them.Myth 1: Vapor from e-cigs is pure.The liquid "vaped" in an e-cigarette contains nicotine, water and a solvent (usually glycerine or propylene glycol).

It may also contain flavoring agents, such as oil of wintergreen.Although this mixture may sound pure enough, neither the liquid (called the e-liquid) nor the device's delivery system are regulated; this means e-cigarettes could produce harmful chemicals.In fact, recent studies have identified impurities ranging from formaldehyde to heavy metals in e-cig vapor.And vaporized propylene glycol is a known eye and respiratory irritant.e-cigarette mystic boxOne recent study found formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone in the vapor of several different e-cigarette models and liquid nicotine products found formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone.e cigarette kr 308"We found nicotine, of course, but we also found some potentially dangerous compounds," said study researcher Maciej Goniewicz, an assistant professor of oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York.ecigarette canada

What's more, users can amp up the voltage of an e-cig delivery device, resulting in a denser, more nicotine-rich vapor.Goniewicz and his team found that at a higher voltage and hotter temperature, levels of harmful chemicals increased, too.The vapor had a lower chemical content than tobacco smoke, but there was "huge variability" among the products tested, Goniewicz told Live Science.e cigarette smoke tricks"It doesn't mean that each product will expose users to high levels of formaldehyde, but there is a risk for sure," he said.901-e cigaretteMyth 2: E-cigs are safe.boutique ecigarette 93In addition to potential toxicity from chemical byproducts, which could harm users over the long term, e-cigs carry another safety risk.

Liquid nicotine is extremely toxic when swallowed, and in some case reports, infants and children have accidentally ingested the substance.The chances of this happening may increase with flavored liquid nicotine, which may come in enticing-looking packages and can smell tempting, according to new research."It mistakenly has this reputation for being safe because it's purchased over the counter, but it easily can be fatal if it's taken in high doses," said Dr. Robert A. Bassett, a medical toxicologist and emergency medicine physician at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia.Bassett and his colleagues reported a case of liquid nicotine poisoning in a 10-month-old infant in the May 7 issue of JAMA.The boy recovered within a few hours, but nicotine poisoning could easily be fatal, Bassett said.A teaspoon of standard liquid nicotine would be enough to kill a person who weighs 200 pounds (90 kilograms), Bassett and his colleagues noted in their report.Myth 3: E-cigs can help you quit smoking.

The few studies looking at whether or not using e-cigs helps people kick the habit have had mixed results.Some studies have found people who tried e-cigs wound up smoking fewer regular cigarettes, but they were no more likely to give up smoking entirely.Overall, the authors of a recent scientific review conclude, "studies that reflect real-world e-cigarette use found that e-cigarette use is not associated with successful quitting ... Taken together, the studies suggest that e-cigarettes are not associated with successful quitting in general population-based samples of smokers."[Kick the Habit: 10 Scientific Quit-Smoking Tips] And there is even some evidence that e-cigs may get non-smokers hooked on nicotine.Studies have found as many as one-third of young e-cigarette users have never tried conventional cigarettes.Myth 4: E-cigs don't produce harmful second-hand smoke.A main selling point of e-cigs is that they can be used anywhere, because they don't produce toxic smoke that puts others at risk.