Carbonyl emissions from heated tobacco products

The scope of this work is to determine the carbonyl emissions from five heated tobacco products (HTPs) and the existence of differences in the emissions based on the brand, on the stick (having a different flavor) and on the puffing regime.

Carbonyls were determined in the mainstream emissions of HTPs. Vapors from 5 commercial HTPs: IQOS, LIL, PULZE, ILUMA and GLO, and fifteen different stick flavors were generated using a peristaltic pump under both ISO and Canadian puffing regimes. Carbonyls were collected in an impinger containing a 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (2,4-DNPH) solution and analyzed using HPLC-UV.

All HTPs emit carbonyls. Acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde and butyraldehyde are detected in quantities varying from 34.35 to 72.11 μg/stick, 3.28 to 8.58 μg/stick and 3.07 to 6.20 μg/stick respectively, for the different brands and stick flavors. Formaldehyde and crotonaldehyde are found below the detection limit of the analytical method. Acetone and acrolein co-eluted and cannot be quantified. Under ISO regime, ILUMA emits more acetaldehyde than GLO, more propionaldehyde compared to the other brands and more butyraldehyde compared to PULZE, LIL and GLO. Under Canadian regime, no significant variations were found between the brands, except IQOS that emits more acetaldehyde than GLO. Also, the difference of the sticks, thus having a different flavor, within the same brand, has an impact on the emissions.

Although HTPs are promoted as products with reduced risk compared to conventional cigarettes, still the detection of carbonyls in HTPs emissions is a fact and needs further research. All five HTPs used here and all sticks used emit carbonyls. Carbonyls' concentrations are found to vary significantly among the different brands, the difference of the sticks, and concerning flavor, and to increase when changing to a more intense puffing regime.