How Much Do You Know About The Chemical Composition Of Electronic Cigarettes?
Source: DHgate, Tag: Home Garden
Electronic cigarettes have revolutionized smoking. but how much do you know about the chemical composition of e-cigarettes?
The discovery of electronic cigarettes was a huge step because it marks the beginning of a long journey for people who want to quit tobacco and those who don’t want to be exposed to the risks associated with conventional cigarettes.
It is essential for those interested in using e-cigarettes and those already using electronic cigarettes to know the components of the e-cigs and how they compare to the traditional cigarettes which are lit by a flame and emit billows of smoke.
We will help you understand the chemical elements present in electronic cigarettes to make wise decisions when shopping for these products.
Basic information about electric cigarettes
It would be better to know the basic information on an electric cigarette before I help you understand the chemical components present in an electronic cigarette. An electronic cigarette comprises a cartridge that is filled with e-liquid. Nicotine is always present in the e-liquid. Other components present in an e-cigarette are propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and a heating element that vaporizes the e-liquid.
The microprocessor activates the heating element, which vaporizes nicotine that the user later inhales after puffing. If interested, the user adds flavours of fruits, drinks, and combustible cigarettes to the e-liquid. The user adds nicotine flavours to propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin.
Chemical Components present in Electronic Cigarettes
Many people, including electronic cigarettes users, aren't sure of the exact elements present in electronic cigarettes. We are here to help those of you interested in knowing the chemical composition of electronic cigarettes. The e-liquid found in e-cigarettes contains a mixture of propylene glycol and glycerol.
We should note that e-liquids of nicotine-free e-cigs don't have nicotine, while those e-liquids that have nicotine have a percentage of nicotine content. Other substances present in e-liquids include aldehydes, trace elements, volatile organic compounds (VOC), phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and heavy metals.
Even though we all know that the components mentioned above are the only ones found in e-liquids, manufacturers have diversified and introduced nicotine salts with weak organic acids such as benzoic and lactic acid. Neutralization brought about by the above components forms nicotine salt that is often found in tobacco leaves. Things we should understand about nicotine salt are that it increases the rate of nicotine absorption, makes the e-cigs taste similar to regular cigarettes, and reduces the irritating feeling on the sore throat.
I saw the need to give you detailed information about the components I have mentioned above to make an informed decision before starting using e-cigarettes.
Bulking agents in electronic cigarettes
We know many of you are surprised when you come across the by-term bulking agents. You might be thinking that bulking agents are some complex things that you have never heard of. It is simple; bulking agents are in e-liquids are propylene glycol (PG) and glycerol. It is as simple as that. Let us now dig into some detail about these components.
Propylene glycol in electronic cigarettes
For those who don’t know, propylene glycol is clear, viscous, non-turbid, and odourless and has a slightly sweet taste. In most cases, propylene glycol is always used in food processing industries, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. I know you might be wondering how this component of e-cigarettes is used in the food processing industries, yet there are claims that e-cigarettes cause health problems to the user. Here is the answer. Propylene glycol is classified as “safe” by health authorities in different parts of the world. There is something I want you to understand. Propylene glycol is only safe when ingested by the user. Studies conducted by specialists have proved that inhalation of propylene glycol can make the user have allergic reactions and irritation in the respiratory system immediately after inhalation. As a user or someone who wants to start using e-cigarettes, I would prefer that you do thorough research on the effects of using e-cigs before you start using them. It would be wrong if you relied on the report provided by some researchers and manufacturing companies whose aim is to advertise their product. For instance, many manufacturers claim that the e-cigs they produce do not have long-term health effects, while reliable sources claim that the long-term effects of using propylene glycol have not yet been established.
Glycerol in electronic cigarettes
Just like propylene glycol, glycerol can be defined as a clear, odourless, and sweet-testing liquid. Glycerol is always extracted from natural oils and fats, making people refer to it as vegetable glycerin. There is nothing unique about glycerol. Just like propylene glycol, it is used in the pharmaceuticals and food industries. We need to understand that glycerol is an endogenous substance used as a precursor for glucose metabolism. Glycerol is always metabolized in the liver and excreted in the urine.
Remember, I had mentioned earlier that glycerol and propylene glycol are the main components of e-cigs. Here is something I want you to understand. The content of glycerol in e-liquids always varies in a range between 30 to 50%.
Nicotine in electronic cigarettes
Another chemical component of electronic cigarettes that we should know is nicotine. Even though most of you have heard about nicotine, we am pretty sure that some of you have not seen it yet. We can describe nicotine as a clear, tasteless, odourless, and colourless yellow liquid. We should know about nicotine because it is hygroscopic, soluble in ether and alcohol, and it is basic.
We should understand that blood distributes nicotine into the brain through the blood-brain barrier. PH always influences the absorption and excretion of nicotine in the human body. Something that many people fail to understand before starting to use nicotine is the fact that it is very addictive. Nicotine can affect the cardiovascular system and also causes vasoconstriction and a rise in users' heartbeat and blood pressure. Pregnant mothers should avoid using substances with nicotine because the nicotine penetrates through the placenta to the fetus. We should not forget the breastfeeding mothers as nicotine can be transferred from their mothers to small kids through breast milk.
Flavourings in electronic cigarettes
It is also vital for us to know that the flavourings in electronic cigarettes have chemical substances in them. Examples of such chemicals are alcohols, acids, aldehydes, esters, ketones, as well as heterocyclic compounds. There is another collection of aromas found in e-liquids that is made up of menthol flavourings. This flavouring has a component known as pulegone, which causes liver and pulmonary metastases cancer when administered orally. E-cigarette users should be cautious since researchers have proved that e-cigarettes users take in a lot of pulegone which is a synthetic flavouring substance compared to individuals who smoke normal cigarettes. Another chemical found in the flavourings of e-cigarettes is diacetyl. The fact that diacetyl is naturally found in butter makes us understand why it is considered a food flavouring agent. To give e-cigarettes a butter-like taste, manufacturers mix diacetyl with other components. Manufacturers have made us believe that diacetyl is safe when ingested. However, we should know that the same diacetyl is harmful to human humans when inhaled. An example of the health complication brought about by diacetyl is obliterative bronchiolitis.
FAQs
What toxic substances are formed after Vaporization?
We should be aware that Vaporization that occurs after an e-liquid gets in contact with a heating coil leads to harmful substances such as carbonyl compounds and metals. I am going to give you essential information on both carbonyl compounds and metals. Let me start with carbonyl compounds.
Carbonyl compounds
As we stated earlier, carbonyl compounds are formed when an e-liquid is heated. Examples of carbonyl compounds are formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, glyoxal, acetone, propanal, and so forth. We need to understand that the quality and quantity of carbonyl compounds formed depend on factors such as the type of e-liquid used, the heating temperature, the product's design, and the cigarette's age. In terms of the e-liquid used, we should look at the PG and VG as a base and if flavourings have been used. We know you are wondering how PG and VG are helpful in this process. PG acts as an oxidizing agent to acetaldehyde while VG plays the oxidization role in acrolein. Both PG and VG form formaldehyde oxidation.
We want to enlighten those of you who think e-cigarettes do not have health effects on the user. We should know that people who use electronic cigarettes with carbonyl compounds are at risk of getting cancer.
Metals
We know it is hard for many of you to believe that the Vaporization of e-liquids emits metals. Many of us think that e-cigarettes don't emit substances that are harmful to the human body. That is not the case. We want you to understand that the use of cigarettes has a significant health effect on the user depending on the components present in the e-liquid of e-cigs. An example of those harmful substances present in the e-liquid is metals. Examples of metals present in aerosols of electronic cigarettes are cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel.
You might be wondering where these metals originate from. In most cases, the metals originate from the metal coil found in the heating unit of e-cigs. We should understand that there is a minimal percentage of metals in the e-liquid compared to one that comes after contact with a heating coil. It is worth mentioning that individuals exposed to metals through inhalation are at risk of getting serious health complications. A study conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer proved that inhaled components of nickel are carcinogenic. The term carcinogenic means that it can cause cancer. When we look at nickel, we find that the metal is associated with several allergies that tamper with the user's health. Just like the metals I have discussed, lead is equally harmful to the user. We should know that lead compounds are detrimental to the e-cigarette user because they accumulate in body organs such as bones and liver. Excessive accumulation of lead often causes anaemia and nephropathy.
What are other examples of metals found in e-liquids?
A study conducted by researchers has proved that compounds of cadmium accumulate in the liver and kidneys. We should also know about hexavalent chromium. Excessive accumulation of Hexavalent chromium in the human body increases the chances of the user getting lung cancer. Other examples associated with e-cigarettes are tin, aluminium, magnesium, copper, and iron. Most of us fail to understand that inhaled metals are always absorbed in the human body at the same rate as other compounds. We would encourage people who are thinking of using e-cigarettes to think about it before they start putting their health at risk. We know most e-cig users will not believe when we tell them that e-cigarettes have more harmful metals than tobacco cigarettes.
What is Vaporization?
Vaporization can be explained as the process through which an e-liquid is heated to generate aerosol vapour. A heat of about 100-250 degrees Celsius is required to facilitate the process of Vaporization. We need to understand that the process through which individuals inhale the vaporized vapour is known as vaping. Vaping allows nicotine to enter the human body. By understanding the effects of vaping, we will make sound decisions on whether we should use e-cigs or not. Some of the effects of vaping include; slow brain development in kids, increased chances of getting addicted to other drugs, and lung complications.
How can one select the best e-cigarettes?
To get the quality of e-cigarette, you should know how to select the e-cigs and the place where you can purchase them. We should consider a lot of factors before choosing the type of e-cigs that suits us. We encourage you to think about your health. It would be wrong if you decide on e-cigarettes that release a lot of vapour because the vapour has many harmful components that tamper with the human body. For heavy smokers, We think you should go for e-cigs that produce a lot of vapour.
Where can one purchase the best e-cigarette?
We need a reliable online platform where we can buy our e-cigarettes. Among the many platforms that exist, we believe that DHgate has the potential to meet your needs. DHgate guarantees you high-quality e-cigarettes at lower prices.
