E-Cigarettes Research

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In recent years, an innovation to smoking has been brought into the public eye. Vaporizers or e-cigs are seen as a better alternative to smoking cigarettes due to the long list of cancer causing toxins that are found in cigarettes. Despite e-cigarettes not being as toxic as cigarettes, there is still risk associated with use of e-cigarettes. The harm caused by these devices stems from e-liquid and the combustion of said liquids. Aldehydes formed from the decomposition of e-liquid are harmful as they can cause severe symptoms such as impaired memory, depression, lethargy, and other brain functions. To begin, e-cigarettes work through the use of use of batteries. The energy from the battery is used to produce heat. Combustion is used in order to heat the liquid …show more content…

The absorbent sampling cartridge was then analyzed by a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC was able to detect the concentration of aldehydes formed by the e-liquid vapor. The HPLC tested for formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, glyoxal, benzaldehyde, m-tolualdehyde, and propionaldehyde in both vapor and liquid form (Khlystov). By analyzing three brands and seventeen different flavors, seven different aldehydes were formed by the first brand, six by the second brand, and six by the third brand. Before the puff of the e-liquid vapor the aldehydes were either not present or found in extremely small amounts. After the liquid had been heated and 15 puffs had been tested, the aldehyde level of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein in Brand 1 are high in every flavor compared to the various levels of presence in Brands 2 and 3. The most dangerous of the flavorings for Brand 3 was bubblegum as it presented the highest concentrations of acetaldehyde, acrolein, and propionaldehyde and the second highest amount of formaldehyde and glyoxal. (Formaldehyde Structure,

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