title: Comparison of the effects of e-cigarette vapor and cigarette smoke on indoor air quality.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have earned considerable attention recently as an alternative to smoking tobacco, but uncertainties about their impact on health and indoor air quality have resulted in proposals for bans on indoor e-cigarette use.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess potential health impacts relating to the use of e-cigarettes, a series of studies were conducted using e-cigarettes and standard tobacco cigarettes.
  
  
  METHODS
  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 by products. Tobacco cigarette smoke tests were conducted for comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparisons of pollutant concentrations were made between e-cigarette vapor and tobacco smoke samples. Pollutants included VOCs, carbonyls, PAHs, nicotine, TSNAs, and glycols. From these results, risk analyses were conducted based on dilution into a 40 m³ room and standard toxicological data. Non-cancer risk analysis revealed "No Significant Risk" of harm to human health for vapor samples from e-liquids (A-D). In contrast, for tobacco smoke most findings markedly exceeded risk limits indicating a condition of "Significant Risk" of harm to human health. With regard to cancer risk analysis, no vapor sample from e-liquids A-D exceeded the risk limit for either children or adults. The tobacco smoke sample approached the risk limits for adult exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For all byproducts measured, electronic cigarettes produce very small exposures relative to tobacco cigarettes. The study indicates no apparent risk to human health from e-cigarette emissions based on the compounds analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Consulting for Health, Air, Nature, & A Greener Environment, LLC (CHANGE), Corporate Headquarters, Queensbury, NY 12804-9358, USA. mcauleyt@airqualitychange.com
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: McAuley
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Hopke
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Babaian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D002648:Child; D055615:Electrical Equipment and Supplies / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006018:Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000295:instrumentation; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D009602:Nitrosamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000447:Aldehydes; D006018:Glycols; D009602:Nitrosamines; D052638:Particulate Matter; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D009538:Nicotine