Voltage and e-liquid composition affect nicotine deposition within the oral cavity and carbonyl formation.

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a scientific study on the effects of e-cigarette voltage and e-liquid composition on particle size, nicotine deposition in a human oral-trachea cast model, and carbonyl formation. The study aims to provide information on the potential health risks associated with e-cigarette use.

Key Points:

* The study analyzed 19 e-liquids for 30 common chemicals and found that increasing voltage was associated with an increase in the median size of aerosol particles and deposition of nicotine in the oral cast.
* Two e-liquids caused a 2.5-fold to 5-fold increase in nicotine deposition, independent of particle size and voltage.
* Increasing voltage caused an increase in formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein in the presence and absence of nicotine.
* aerosols from several e-liquids significantly increased levels of acetaldehyde and acrolein compared with unflavored.

Main Message:
The study highlights the potential health risks associated with e-cigarette use, particularly with higher voltage devices and certain e-liquid compositions. Increasing voltage and e-liquid chemical constituents can increase the exposure of the oral pharynx and bronchial airways to carbonyls, which can react with DNa to generate adducts, induce oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death. These findings suggest that the growing popularity of higher voltage e-cigarette delivery devices will likely further elevate health risks from chronic exposure to these complex aerosols.

Zhou Y, Irshad h, Dye WW, Wu G, Tellez CS, Belinsky Sa. Voltage and e-liquid composition affect nicotine deposition within the oral cavity and carbonyl formation. Tobacco control. 2021;30(5):485-491. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-055619