Author(s)

Sharifah Mazrah Sayed Mohamed Zain^1*, Sara Khalida Jamal Khair², Nadia Mohamad¹, Mohd Fairulnizal Md. Noh³, Dinash Aravind Radhakrishnan²

¹Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
²National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
³Nutrition, Metabolic and Cardiovascular Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.

Electronic cigarette (EC) is a device that imitates conventional cigarettes, which vaporizes a solution, with or without nicotine. This study evaluates the nicotine levels in EC refill solutions, its release in aerosols and comparison to the amount stated on the label. Seventy-two (72) different EC refill solutions were obtained from local shops in Selangor, Malaysia consisting of 40 nicotine-containing (3 - 12 mg) and 32 nicotine-free (0 mg) solutions. Aerosols were obtained by using an air tight syringe connected to an EC device to draw aerosol through an XAD-4 sorbent tube that trapped the nicotine. Nicotine in solution and aerosol samples are analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry equipment. Quantified nicotine in 40 nicotine-containing solutions ranged from 0.224 - 17.306 mg/mL. Nicotine is detected in 3 of the 32 nicotine-free solutions. Percentage of nicotine released into aerosols from refill solutions varied from 0.54% - 28.2%. Out of the 40 samples, thirty-two (32) had nicotine content that violated by more than ±10% from the value on the label. In comparing the labels, 19 samples have 0.3% - 77% higher nicotine level and 13 samples have 0.2% - 96.3% lower nicotine content. The inconsistency between the labelled and true levels of nicotine content indicates that commercial information may be misleading. The presence of nicotine in the nicotine-free refill solutions and higher nicotine content in aerosols may be addictive and may have negative health effects on users.

Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems, Tobacco Products, Tobacco Industry, Vapers

Zain, S. , Khair, S. , Mohamad, N. , Noh, M. and Radhakrishnan, D. (2019) Nicotine Content in Electronic Cigarette Refill Solutions and Its Release in Aerosols. Journal of Environmental Protection, 10, 1317-1332. doi: 10.4236/jep.2019.1010078.