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Highly Reactive Free Radicals in Electronic Cigarette Aerosols
journal contribution
posted on 2015-09-21, 00:00 authored by Reema Goel, Erwann Durand, Neil Trushin, Bogdan Prokopczyk, Jonathan Foulds, Ryan J. Elias, John P. RichieElectronic 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 × 1013 to 10.3 × 1013 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.