E-cigarettes as a source of toxic and potentially carcinogenic metals.
OBJECTIVE
The popularity of electronic cigarette devices is growing worldwide. The health impact of e-cigarette use, however, remains unclear. E-cigarettes are marketed as a safer alternative to cigarettes. The aim of this research was the characterization and quantification of toxic metal concentrations in five, nationally popular brands of cig-a-like e-cigarettes.


METHODS
We analyzed the cartomizer liquid in 10 cartomizer refills for each of five brands by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).


RESULTS
All of the tested metals (cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese and nickel) were found in the e-liquids analyzed. Across all analyzed brands, mean (SD) concentrations ranged from 4.89 (0.893) to 1970 (1540) μg/L for lead, 53.9 (6.95) to 2110 (5220) μg/L for chromium and 58.7 (22.4) to 22,600 (24,400) μg/L for nickel. Manganese concentrations ranged from 28.7 (9.79) to 6910.2 (12,200) μg/L. We found marked variability in nickel and chromium concentration within and between brands, which may come from heating elements.


CONCLUSIONS
Additional research is needed to evaluate whether e-cigarettes represent a relevant exposure pathway for toxic metals in users.
University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health, Prevention Research Center, 180 Grand Ave., Ste. 1200, Oakland, CA 94612, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: chess@prev.org.
Catherine Ann
CA
Hess
Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Pablo
P
Olmedo
Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Institute for Global Tobacco Control, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Ana
A
Navas-Acien
Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Graz, Institute of Chemistry, Unversitätsplatz 1, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Walter
W
Goessler
Institute for Global Tobacco Control, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Joanna E
JE
Cohen
Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Ana Maria
AM
Rule
D066300:Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Q000145:classification; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D014481:United States
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy
Carcinogens; Electronic nicotine delivery devices; Non-cigarette tobacco products