SPAIN – A study by the Department of Analytical Chemistry of the University of Valencia , has shown that smoking cigarettes and ‘vaping’ (aspirate and fire vapor electronic cigarettes) helps to thin the atmosphere in closed atmospheres, while ‘vaping ‘produces three times less particulate emissions than smoke.

Research has focused on the effects of smoking cigarettes electronic cigarettes and classic, and this has analyzed the quality of indoor air and encouragement of passive smoking in both cases.  Devices to monitor the air, has been evaluated carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), particulates, formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOC) present in indoor air and breath and smokers ‘vaping’ liabilities.

The results show that the emission of CO and VOC as benzene, toluene, xylene or light alcohols aldehydes contained in the steam was 0.5 parts per million (ppm), compared to 8 ppm of carbon monoxide and 1 ppm of compounds organic volatiles emitted in smoke snuff, says Miguel de la Guardia, a member of the team that developed the research. Parts per million is a unit of measurement to determine the concentration calculating units of a given substance for each million units of whole, which in this case means milligrams per liter.

Moreover, formaldehyde is detected – a chemical compound dissolved in water resulting in formol at 35 ppb levels (parts per billion, in this case micrograms per liter) in exhaled of vaping compared to 134 ppb in smoke snuff.

Among the conclusions of the work, has shown that the breath of smokers and those vaping recorded levels of formaldehyde which they were maintained in all cases below the detection limit of the technique, that is, the minimum amount that can be distinguished from zero.

Likewise, the amount of particles, CO₂, CO and volatile compounds was not modified in the case of passive vaping regarding their breath in clean atmosphere. The measurements were performed in a clean, closed room, 40 cubic meters, where active and passive smoking and vaping practices were conducted for two months.

Despite introduced comprehensive regulations to smoking in many countries, passive smoking remains a social problem, as noted in the study.  There are preliminary scientific evidences about the presence of toxic chemicals in the steam generated by electronic cigarettes (also called electronic vaporizers, or e-cigarettes).

“Cigarette smoking and the consequences of exposure to smoke remains a global health problem; so it is justified to control this activity in enclosed areas. In recent years, the use of electronic cigarettes in Europe is growing.  This product is advertised as a safe alternative to snuff and a way to quit smoking, but their safety and effectiveness are controversial,” the study warns.

The data also reveal that while the levels of particles emitted in the breath of passive smoking increased by 10.000%, volatile organic compounds did by 20%, and carbon monoxide was detected at the level of 1 ppm (when this compound should not be present in the breath).  No statistically significant differences found in the levels of CO₂ in the breath of passive smoking before and after being exposed to smoke from conventional cigarettes.

The research was conducted by professors Miguel de la Guardia and Sergio Armenta, along with researchers Juan Casanova and Daniel Gallart, Department of Analytical Chemistry of the University of Valencia.  They have used portable air monitoring probes that are also being used to measure emissions of motor vehicles and assess air quality in industrial atmospheres.  The work has been funded by the Generalitat Valenciana and the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness ERDF.

In another study, published in the journal Talanta and coordinated by Miguel de la Guardia, they analyzed the amount of nicotine in saliva in passive smokers, electronic and conventional cigarettes and passive exposure to nicotine vaping was confirmed. However, in saliva of passive smoking a level of between 40 and 80 milligrams of nicotine was found per liter of saliva, while for passive vaping levels between 4 and 8 mg per liter they were found; representing the order of seven times less exposure to nicotine.

They also evaluated the composition of liquids for vaping and exposure to different types of snuff.  This study confirms vaping liability exposure by finding nicotine in saliva. However, it is much lower than for passive smokers.

This study has been published in Microchemical Journal.