Are Metals Emitted from Electronic Cigarettes a Reason for Health Concern? A Risk-Assessment Analysis of Currently Available Literature
Are Metals Emitted from Electronic Cigarettes a Reason for Health Concern? A Risk-Assessment Analysis of Currently Available Literature
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DOI：
10.3390/ijerph120505215
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发表时间：
2015-05-01
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Poulas, Konstantinos
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Farsalinos, Konstantinos E.;Voudris, Vassilis;Poulas, Konstantinos
背景：研究发现，金属被排放到电子烟（EC）气溶胶中。然而，接触这类金属的潜在健康影响尚未得到充分界定。本研究的目的是进行风险评估分析，根据已发表文献的研究结果评估电子烟（EC）使用者对金属排放物的暴露。方法：在文献中找到两项研究，测量了13种电子产品向气溶胶中排放的金属。我们估计用户平均每天吸入600次EC，但我们评估的每日暴露量是1200次。暴露估计与美国药典定义的吸入性药物慢性允许每日暴露量（PDE）（镉、铬、铜、铅和镍）、有毒物质和疾病登记机构定义的最小风险水平（MRL）（锰）和国家职业安全与健康研究所定义的建议暴露限值（REL）（铝、钡、铁、锡、钛、锌和锆）进行比较。结果：13种EC产品的日平均暴露量比PDEs安全临界值低2.6 ~ 387倍，比MRL安全临界值低325倍，比rel安全临界值低665 ~ 77,514倍。在13种产品中，只有一种产品在每天极端使用1200次的情况下，对一种金属（镉）的暴露量比PDE高出10%。观察到产品之间的排放量有显著差异。结论：根据目前可获得的数据，使用EC产生的金属总体暴露预计不会对转向使用EC的吸烟者造成重大健康问题，但对从不吸烟者来说却是不必要的暴露来源。金属分析应该扩展到更多的产品，通过提高产品质量和适当选择材料，可以进一步减少暴露。
Background: Studies have found that metals are emitted to the electronic cigarette (EC) aerosol. However, the potential health impact of exposure to such metals has not been adequately defined. The purpose of this study was to perform a risk assessment analysis, evaluating the exposure of electronic cigarette (EC) users to metal emissions based on findings from the published literature. Methods: Two studies were found in the literature, measuring metals emitted to the aerosol from 13 EC products. We estimated that users take on average 600 EC puffs per day, but we evaluated the daily exposure from 1200 puffs. Estimates of exposure were compared with the chronic Permissible Daily Exposure (PDE) from inhalational medications defined by the U.S. Pharmacopeia (cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and nickel), the Minimal Risk Level (MRL) defined by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (manganese) and the Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) defined by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (aluminum, barium, iron, tin, titanium, zinc and zirconium). Results: The average daily exposure from 13 EC products was 2.6 to 387 times lower than the safety cut-off point of PDEs, 325 times lower than the safety limit of MRL and 665 to 77,514 times lower than the safety cut-off point of RELs. Only one of the 13 products was found to result in exposure 10% higher than PDE for one metal (cadmium) at the extreme daily use of 1200 puffs. Significant differences in emissions between products were observed. Conclusions: Based on currently available data, overall exposure to metals from EC use is not expected to be of significant health concern for smokers switching to EC use, but is an unnecessary source of exposure for never-smokers. Metal analysis should be expanded to more products and exposure can be further reduced through improvements in product quality and appropriate choice of materials.