Toxic levels of metals such as lead found in e-cigarettes
| Updated: Feb 26, 2018, 11:38 IST
For all of you who have shifted to e-cigarettes, we suggest that you give this a good read. A news study has found that there may be toxic levels of metals such as lead in the heating coils of e-cigarettes. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health evaluated vaping devices in small random sample of 56 users and discovered that a significant number of them produced vapour with potentially harmful levels of lead and other metals such as nickel, manganese and chromium.
Prolonged exposure to such metals through inhalation is associated with many dangerous health effects, including cancer and damage to the lungs, heart, liver, brain, and immune system, as suggested by the reports published in a leading magazine. As part of the study, it was found that there were small traces of metals in the liquids in the refilling dispensers, like in previous studies. But there were greater amounts of metals in the e-liquids that had been exposed to the heating coils in the e-cigarette reservoirs. There were also high levels of metals in the vapours generated by heating the liquids, to such an extent that they are certainly toxic when inhaled.
The heating coils are made of nickel, chromium and other metals, pointing to the source of contamination. But the source of lead is not clear yet. The study has established that there are exposures to the metals however, the health effects still need to be determined.
Prolonged exposure to such metals through inhalation is associated with many dangerous health effects, including cancer and damage to the lungs, heart, liver, brain, and immune system, as suggested by the reports published in a leading magazine. As part of the study, it was found that there were small traces of metals in the liquids in the refilling dispensers, like in previous studies. But there were greater amounts of metals in the e-liquids that had been exposed to the heating coils in the e-cigarette reservoirs. There were also high levels of metals in the vapours generated by heating the liquids, to such an extent that they are certainly toxic when inhaled.
The heating coils are made of nickel, chromium and other metals, pointing to the source of contamination. But the source of lead is not clear yet. The study has established that there are exposures to the metals however, the health effects still need to be determined.