a rapid method for the chromatographic analysis of volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath of tobacco cigarette and electronic cigarette smokers

Introduction:
This text presents a study that describes a simplified method for the comparison of the smoke generated by different types of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and tobacco cigarettes, as well as the exhaled breath after vaping or smoking, using a Bio-VOCs exhaled air sampler. The study also analyzes the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

Key points:

* The study used a Bio-VOCs exhaled air sampler to compare the smoke generated by Type 1 and Type 2 e-cigarettes, tobacco cigarettes, and exhaled breath after vaping or smoking.
* The VOCs trapped in the sorbent cartridges were transferred to a thermal desorption (TD) instrument equipped with a Unity Series 2 Thermal Desorber and an Ultra 50:50 Multi-tube auto-sampler.
* The compounds were desorbed from the cartridges at 300 °C for 5 min and re-concentrated in a graphitized carbon sorbent cold trap.
* The cold trap was heated to 300 °C over 5 min while passing a helium flow of 7.5 ml/min for VOC transfer to an uncoated and deactivated fused-silica capillary transfer line.
* The GC-MS operational conditions included a DB-SMS UI capillary column, helium as the carrier gas, and the GC oven temperature program starting at 40 °C and increasing to 210 °C at 15 °C/min.
* The VOCs were identified based on retention times and library identification of the mass spectrum from each chromatographic peak.
* The study found that tobacco cigarettes showed higher concentration differences between nicotine concentrations in smoke and exhaled breath compared to e-cigarettes.

Main message:
The study presents a simplified method for the comparison of the smoke generated by different types of e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes, as well as the exhaled breath after vaping or smoking. The study also analyzes the VOCs in tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes and found that tobacco cigarettes led to strong absorptions of harmful pollutants in the users, while e-cigarettes mainly led to absorptions of propylene glycol and glycerin. The results highlight the potential health risks associated with tobacco cigarette smoking and the relative safety of e-cigarettes.

Marco, Esther, and Joan O. Grimalt. “a Rapid Method for the Chromatographic analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds in Exhaled Breath of Tobacco Cigarette and Electronic Cigarette Smokers.” Journal of Chromatography a 1410 (September 2015): 51–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2015.07.094.