Detection of Metal-Containing Particles in FDA-Authorized and New Disposable Electronic Cigarette Aerosols

Use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) among youth raises concerns about nicotine addiction and health risks, highlighting the urgency of understanding e-cig aerosol composition. While metals in e-cig aerosols are well-documented, the presence of metals as particles versus ions in newer disposable devices remains unclear. We examined metal particles in aerosols from disposable e-cigs and FDA-authorized devices. E-cigs analyzed included Vuse Alto (FDA-authorized), EB Create, and Orion Bar. Aerosol condensate was analyzed for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) by using single-particle inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The bulk metal content, particle size, mass, and 1 month stability were also assessed. The particle size was determined based on the assumption that particles contained the detected single metal alone and not the oxide. All aerosols analyzed contained metals, with Cr, Ni, Fe, Pb, and Zn detected as particles. The FDA-authorized Vuse Alto Golden Tobacco device consistently exhibited the highest particle count for all metals, except Cr. EB Create aerosols had the highest amount of Cr particles. Particle sizes ranged from 14.21 to 281.3 nm. The widespread presence of metal particles in e-cig aerosols raises public health concerns and underscores the need for research to inform regulatory standards.