Study Reveals E-Cigarettes Contain Formaldehyde and Produce Toxic Secondhand “Smoke”

The trendy e-cig may not be as “safe” as originally thought. A new study shows that they contain volatile organic compounds, acetone, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, benzopyrene as well as silicate and various metal particles. The German Cancer Research Center, Heildelberg calls the e-cigarette, “An uncontrolled experiment with Consumers.”

Electronic cigarettes are not emission-free. E-cigarettes contain volatile organic substances, including propylene glycol, flavors and nicotine, and are emitted as mist or aerosol into indoor air. Study showed that these ultrafine liquid particles of less than 2.5 micrometer in diameter may penetrate deeply into the lungs. Study further showed that these e-cigarettes produce substantially fewer ultrafine particles than conventional cigarettes, however, the substances emitted by e-cigarettes may be inhaled by non-users when used indoor. Second-hand exposure to e-cigarette emission which may lead to adverse health effects cannot be excluded says the German Cancer Research Center, Heildelberg.

The study goes on to say that the findings revealed the following about the emissions of e-cigarette: a) besides glycol (the main ingredient), nicotine, flavors, tobacco-specific nitrosamines, volatile organic compounds, acetone, formaldehyde. acetaldehyde, benzo(a)pyrene as well as silicate and various metal particles are present, and b) the particle size is between I00 and 600 nanometers, which is comparable to the particle size found in tobacco smoke of conventional cigarettes. The levels of most harmful substances are lower in thee-cigarettes than in conventional cigarette smoke, but they do accumulate in indoor air.