Development of a sampling method for carbonyl compounds released due to the use of electronic cigarettes and quantitation of their conversion from liquid to aerosol

Introduction:
This text discusses a study on the development of a sampling method for carbonyl compounds (CCs) released due to the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or ECs) and the quantitation of their conversion from liquid to aerosol. The study also investigates the conversion of CCs from a refill solution (e-solution) to aerosol using a mass change tracking (MCT) approach.

Key Points:

* The study developed an experimental method for the collection and analysis of CCs released due to the use of e-cigarettes.
* The conversion of CCs from e-solution to aerosol was investigated using the MCT approach.
* aerosol samples generated from e-cigarettes were collected manually using 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPh) cartridges at a constant sampling (puffing) velocity of 1 L min-1 with specific puff conditions.
* The MCT approach allowed for the improvement of the sampling of CCs through critical evaluation of the puff conditions in relation to the consumed quantities of refill solution.
* The emission concentrations of CCs remained constant when e-cigarettes were sampled at or above 10 puffs.
* Upon aerosolization, the concentrations of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde increased 6.23-and 58.4-fold, respectively, relative to their concentrations in e-solution.
* a number of CCs were found to be present in the aerosol samples which were not detected in the initial e-solution (e.g., acetone, butyraldehyde, and o-tolualdehyde).

Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of developing a standardized sampling and analytical method to precisely assess the levels of potentially harmful chemicals, including CCs, in different e-cigarette samples. The adoption of the MCT approach allowed for the determination of the emission concentrations of CCs precisely in relation to the consumed quantities of e-solution. however, the manual method used in the study may not be fully reliable for maintaining a constant puff duration or interpuff interval. Therefore, there is still a need to establish a standardized sampling and analytical method to accurately assess the levels of harmful chemicals in e-cigarette samples.

Jo, Sang-hee, and Ki-hyun Kim. “Development of a Sampling Method for Carbonyl Compounds Released Due to the Use of Electronic Cigarettes and quantitation of Their Conversion from Liquid to aerosol.” Journal of Chromatography a 1429 (January 2016): 369–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2015.12.061.