Highly Reactive Free Radicals in Electronic Cigarette Aerosols

Overview

Journal Chem Res Toxicol

Publisher American Chemical Society

Specialty Toxicology

Date 2015 Aug 6

PMID 26244921

Citations 65

Authors

Reema Goel

Erwann Durand

Neil Trushin

Bogdan Prokopczyk

Jonathan Foulds

Ryan J Elias

John P Richie Jr

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Electronic cigarette (EC) usage has increased exponentially, but limited data are available on its potential harmful effects. We tested for the presence of reactive, short-lived free radicals in EC aerosols by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) using the spin-trap phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN). Radicals were detected in aerosols from all ECs and eliquids tested (2.5 × 10(13) to 10.3 × 10(13) radicals per puff at 3.3 V) and from eliquid solvents propylene glycol and glycerol and from "dry puffing". These results demonstrate, for the first time, the production of highly oxidizing free radicals from ECs which may present a potential toxicological risk to EC users.

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