E-cigarettes with a high puff count are designed to last a long time and can provide thousands of inhalations before they run out. As a result, they have become popular among many users.
A new study from the University of California, Riverside, published in ACS Omega, indicates that this long lifespan may come with a downside.
According to the researchers, the liquid inside e-cigarettes gradually changes when it is heated repeatedly over time.
Researchers examined used devices
The researchers analyzed liquid samples from 77 discarded e-cigarettes representing 20 different brands. The devices had been used between 300 and 6,000 times.
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The results showed that several harmful chemical compounds, known as aldehydes, increased in concentration after prolonged use.
Among these compounds was formaldehyde, which is known to be carcinogenic.
Damage to lung cells
To investigate the risks further, the researchers exposed human lung cells to some of the chemical substances found in the e-cigarettes.
The experiments showed that methylglyoxal could damage the cells. According to the researchers, the substance was between 10 and 100 times more toxic than another aldehyde that was also examined in the study.
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E-cigarettes with high puff counts may become more toxic the longer they are used. The researchers therefore urge caution, particularly when a device is approaching the end of its lifespan.
Sources: HealthDay and ACS Omega.
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