Indoor Vapor Air Quality Study

IVAQS Project Abstract

Characterization of High Nicotine Electronic Cigarette Liquids (E-Liquids) for Assessing the Impact of E-cigarette Vapor on Indoor Air Quality

1McAuley, TR*, 2Hopke, PK, 2Zhao, J, 4Babaian, S

*Address correspondence to Timothy R. McAuley, Consulting for Health, Air, Nature, & a Greener Environment, LLC, 14 Stonehurst Drive, Queensbury, NY 12804-9358 email: mcauleyt@airqualitychange.com

ABSTRACT

Context: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have earned considerable attention in recent years as an alternative to smoking tobacco, but uncertainties about the impact on health and indoor air quality have resulted in proposals for bans on indoor e-cigarette use.

Objective: To assess the impact on indoor air quality and public health relating to the use of e-cigarettes, a series of studies were conducted using e-cigarettes and standard tobacco cigarettes.

Methods and Materials: Four different high nicotine e-liquids were vaporized in two sets of experiments by generic 2-piece e-cigarettes to collect emissions and assess indoor air concentrations of common tobacco smoke byproducts. Tobacco cigarette smoke tests were conducted for comparison.

Results: Comparisons of the pollutant concentrations were made between e-cigarette vapor and the tobacco smoke samples. From these results, toxicity analysis (based on a 40 m3 room) evaluated HIs (Total Cumulative Hazard Indices) and ELCRs (Excess Lifetime Cancer Risks) from all pollutants compared to acceptable Risk Limits. Non-cancer risk analysis revealed “No Significant Risk” of harm to human health for vapor from e-liquids (A-D). In contrast, for tobacco smoke most findings markedly exceeded the HI Risk Limit indicating a condition of “Significant Risk” of harm to human health. No cumulative ELCR for vapor from e-liquids A-D exceeded the Cancer Risk Limit for either children or adults. The tobacco smoke sample approached the ELCR Risk Limit for adult exposure.

Conclusions: Electronic cigarettes produce very small exposures relative to cigarettes and are not likely to produce discernible cancer or non-cancer related health effects.

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to recognize that this research would not have been possible without many contributions made by key individuals who brought additional expertise to this research. We would like to thank Peter W. Woodman, Ph.D for the toxicological risk analysis, Mary Bielaska, Esq. for her legal counseling, Murray Laugesen, FNZCPHM for his suggestions on methodology, Yolanda Villa, Esq. for her consulting support, Janet Andersen for her administrative support, Victoria Vasconcellos and others listed below for their financial support as well as hundreds of National Vapers Club members who provided individual financial contributions.

NEWS UPDATE!!!
3/27/12 - IVAQS Paper is complete! It will be submitted for publication on 3/28/12. An abstract of the paper will be handed out at Chicago Vapefest this weekend! Abstract will be posted here soon.

12/4/11 - IVAQS paper is being written and is in the first draft stage. Toxicology reports are being done now and we should have a working draft before the end of the year. Still need about $3500 to complete the project.(Thank you to VolcanoEcigs.com for their contribution to help complete this project!!!)

11/4/11 - After raising nearly $12,000 at Vegas Vapefest we now have enough to pay the researcher to complete writing the IVAQS paper for publication. we are still $3500 short to pay toxicologists to anayze the data and without those results we cannot complete the paper. We will borrow that if necessary and pay the money back after Boston Vapefest in March, but any donations are appreciated (click here). We are working on the drafts of paper now and we hope to have it ready to submit for publication by the end of the year.