Scientists have already shown that e-cigarettes (or vapes) create thirdhand chemical residue from vape aerosols that sticks to surfaces. This process is similar to how cigarette smoke creates thirdhand smoke. However, scientists do not know yet how thirdhand chemical residue from vape aerosols is uniquely different from cigarette smoke and what impact it has on health.
Dr. Sarah Commodore wanted to find answers to these questions. She and colleagues from Indiana University Bloomington recently published a study that looked at the chemical makeup of thirdhand residue from vape aerosols and its effects on living things.
“Traditional cigarettes have way more chemicals,” Commodore said, but vapes are “creating an unusual mix that no one knows.”
She also explained that unlike traditional cigarettes, which have the same concentration of chemicals throughout the whole cigarette, the chemical concentration of vapes can change from puff to puff even when using the same vape pen. Since vapes are heated instead of burned, the vape “juice” closer to the heater at the end of the vape gets hotter than the liquid at the top of the vape. This heat difference can alter the chemistry of the liquid, Commodore said.
To consider how this different chemical makeup might impact health, they studied the effects on mice. They exposed one group of mice to a towel that had thirdhand chemical residue from unflavored vape aerosols with a 6% nicotine content. The towel was in their cage for one hour a day, five days a week for three weeks. The other group of mice was exposed to a clean towel for the same intervals.
After three weeks, the team examined the mice’s health. Specifically, they analyzed the weight of the mice’s body and organs and measured the proteins in their blood and lungs. The exposed mice had protein levels that could weaken their immune systems and harm their lungs, Commodore said.
The exposed mice had less body weight on average at the end of the study, but they had no difference in organ weights.
The research team also measured the particles in the air inside of the cages. The vape-exposed cages had more particles, and the number increased when the mice were active in the cage. Commodore explained that when the mice moved around, they may have kicked up particles that had settled on the towel. Higher numbers of air particles are concerning because mice (and people) can inhale them into their lungs.
In future studies, the research team wants to see if mice of different ages or sex are impacted by thirdhand chemical residue from vape aerosols exposure differently. Further down the line, they hope to study vape exposure with a more human-centered focus, but more mouse research must be done first to better understand the health and ethical considerations.
Until then, Commodore and her colleagues emphasize how important it is to educate ourselves about the dangers of tobacco product smoke, vapor, and residue.
“Anything that is not air, avoid trying to breathe it in,” she said. “Prevention is better than cure.”
Click here to read the research study.
