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Updated: Jun 22, 2025

Generation of Electronic Cigarette Aerosol by a Third-Generation Machine-Vaping Device: Application to Toxicological Studies
Published on: August 25, 2018
Examining the Oxidation States of Metals in Aerosols Emitted by Electronic Cigarettes
Kashala Fabrice Kapiamba1, Stephen Yaw Owusu2, Yangtao Wu3
1Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33146, United States.
Abstract:
Electronic cigarettes (ECs) emit many toxic substances, including metals, that can pose a threat to users and the environment. The toxicity of the emitted metals depends on their oxidation states. Hence, this study examines the oxidation states of metals observed in EC aerosols. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the filters that collected EC aerosols identified the oxidation states of five primary metals (based on surface sample analysis), including chromium(III) (close to 100%) under low power setting while a noticeable amount of chromium(VI) (15%) at higher power settings of the EC, and copper(II) (100%), zinc(II) (100%), nickel(II) (100%), lead(II) (65%), and lead(IV) (35%) regardless of power settings. This observation indicates that the increased temperature due to higher power settings could alter the oxidation states of certain metals. We noted that many metals were in their lesser toxic states; however, inhaling these metals may still pose health risks.
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