Vaping aerosols from Vitamin E acetate and Tetrahydrocannabinol Oil: Chemistry and Composition.

Introduction:
In this text, readers will learn about a study examining the chemistry and composition of vaping aerosols produced from vitamin E acetate (VEa), tetrahydrocannabinol (ThC) oil, and a mixture of the two. The study aimed to investigate the potential causes of electronic cigarette/vaping-associated lung injury (EVaLI) and the impact of temperature on aerosolization and degradation.

Key Points:

* The study used a temperature-controlled third-generation e-cigarette device and a puffing regimen consistent with CORESTa recommendations.
* Three temperatures (157, 232, and 285°C) were chosen to represent wet- or partially wet wick conditions for mods and clearomizers.
* Gravimetric analysis was used to evaluate aerosolization efficiency, and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (hPLC-hRMS) was used to characterize thermal degradation carbonyls and acids.
* Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to quantify particle-phase terpenoids.
* VEa had the lowest aerosolization efficiency, and adding VEa to the e-liquid suppressed aerosol formation.
* ThC oil had a stronger tendency to aerosolize and degrade compared to VEa at a given temperature.
* Toxic carbonyls, such as formaldehyde, 4-methylpentanal, glyoxal, or diacetyl and its isomers, were highly enhanced in VEa e-liquid when normalized to particle mass.

Main Message:
The study highlights the complex chemistry of vaping aerosols, particularly when VEa is added to ThC oil. The nonlinear suppression of aerosol formation, increased degradation of ThC oil, and enhanced toxic carbonyls in VEa e-liquid suggest potential health risks associated with vaping. Regulatory bodies should consider these findings when evaluating the safety of vaping products.

Li Y, Dai J, Tran LN, Pinkerton KE, Spindel ER, Nguyen TB. Vaping aerosols from Vitamin E acetate and Tetrahydrocannabinol Oil: Chemistry and Composition. Chemical research in toxicology. 2022;35(6):1095-1109. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrestox.2c00064