| Summary: | Background
Electronic cigarette
(e-cigarette) is an emerging class of electronic nicotine-delivery system
claimed by the industries as a quitting aid. Laboratory testing of some refill
liquids for e-cigarettes(e-liquids) contain impurities and toxic substances, or
are not filled true to label. The additional impurities in the liquids or vapour
(e.g., polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), Tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNAs),
aldehydes and acrolein), unexpected toxins and/or unreliable nicotine in different
glycols mixed with concentrated flavours, warrants a thorough evaluation of the
chemical constituents of these E-liquids. Previous research in the evaluation of these
constituents involved gas or liquid chromatography (GC, LC) combined with mass
spectrometric (MS) detection for the analysis in combination with 1 H-
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analysis.
This study aimed to evaluate
the chemical composition of e-liquid refills using 1 H-
NMR, 13 C-NMR along with DEFT, GCMS and IR spectroscopic analysis.
Methods
A total of 6 samples marketed and sold highly in India through online, claimed
to have 0,3,6,12 and 18 milligrams of nicotine and one sample claiming no nicotine/no
tar were identified and purchased. The presence of Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines
(TSNAs), tobacco alkaloids, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Volatile Organic
Compound (VOCs) were analysed using 1 H- NMR, 13 C-NMR
along with DEPT, Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GCMS) and IR spectroscopy.
Results
Significant levels of VOCs
were noted which included glycerin, propylene and ethylene glycol. Acrolein and
PAH were not detected in the samples. However, presence of additional organic
compounds including nitrosamines, and nicotine were detected by
13 C- NMR, DEPT and IR spectroscopy.
Conclusions
NMR spectroscopy is a
useful and rapid method to simultaneously detect several ingredients in e-liquids,
and GCMS, IR and DEFT also provided additional information on the constituents
of e-liquid products. Systematic evaluation of chemical constituents of the e-cigarette
may hence throw light on its possible short term and long term health effects.
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