Lots of questions still linger about e-cigarettes, including just what you’re breathing in when you vape. Significant levels (nearing or exceeding current health-based limits) of chromium, manganese, nickel and lead were found in about half of the samples.
Significant traces of metals such as lead, leak from e-cigarette heating coils into the vapour, a study found.
Long-term exposure to lead, chromium, manganese and nickel can cause damage to the lungs, liver, heart, brain and immune system – as well as cancer.
Experts from Johns Hopkins University school of public health looked at vaping devices owned by 56 users.
They found that significant numbers had dangerous levels of the toxins leaking into their vapour.
The amount of lead found in the aerosols produced by the devices was, in some cases, more than 25 times greater than in the refill dispensers.
Almost half of the aerosol samples had lead concentrations higher than limits set out by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The researchers called on the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to regulate the devices.
Senior author Ana Rule, from the school’s department for environmental health, said: “It’s important for the FDA, the e-cigarette companies and vapers themselves to know that these heating coils, as currently made, seem to be leaking toxic metals, which then get into the aerosols that vapers inhale.”
E-cigarettes often use a battery operated electric current that passes through a metal coil to heat e-liquids, many of which contain nicotine, to create a vapour to inhale.
Vaping is becoming increasingly popular with young adults.
It provides the nicotine hit and the feel of smoking without the dangerous chemicals found in fags.
But recent studies have found some e-cigarette flavours contain toxins that harm the body and another found vaping leaves people more susceptible to pneumonia.
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SOURCE: infosurhoy
