high concentrations of flavor chemicals are present in electronic cigarette refill fluids

Introduction:
This text is a scientific report on the analysis of flavor chemicals in electronic cigarette (EC) refill fluids. The study characterized and quantified the flavor chemicals in a broad sample of EC refill fluids purchased in four different countries. The report highlights the potential health risks associated with high concentrations of some flavor chemicals and the absence of regulations regarding these chemicals in EC fluids.

Key Points:

* The study identified and quantified flavor chemicals in 277 EC refill fluids using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
* about 85% of the refill fluids had total flavor concentrations greater than 1 mg/ml, and 37% were greater than 10 mg/ml.
* Four chemicals were present in 50% to 80% of the samples, with some products having concentrations of menthol and ethyl maltol that were 30 times and 100 times their cytotoxic concentration.
* The study found that flavor chemicals are major ingredients of many EC refill fluids and are often present at total concentrations higher than that of nicotine.
* The report also discusses the potential health risks associated with the inhalation of flavor chemicals and the need for more data to inform regulatory agencies and protect public health.
* The study's organoleptic distribution analysis found that the top categories of flavor chemicals present at concentrations greater than 1 mg/ml were fruity, minty/mentholic, floral, carmelic, and spicy.
* The study's hazard classification found that most of the chemicals were irritants and harmful, with three being both irritants and dangerous to the environment.

Main Message:
The study highlights the potential health risks associated with high concentrations of some flavor chemicals in EC refill fluids. The absence of regulations regarding flavor chemicals in EC fluids is a significant concern, and more data are needed to inform regulatory agencies and protect public health. The report emphasizes the importance of identifying and quantifying the flavor chemicals in EC refill fluids and the potential health risks associated with their inhalation. The study's findings suggest that regulatory agencies should consider limiting the concentrations of flavor chemicals in EC products, requiring a list of flavor ingredients on product labels, restricting the use of flavor chemicals that are cytotoxic at low concentrations, or banning the use of flavor chemicals in tobacco products.

Omaiye, Esther E., Kevin J. McWhirter, Wentai Luo, Peyton a. Tierney, James F. Pankow, and Prue Talbot. “high Concentrations of Flavor Chemicals are Present in Electronic Cigarette Refill Fluids.” Scientific Reports 9, no. 1 (February 21, 2019): 2468. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-39550-2.