New research from RCSI University reveals that heating e-liquids in vapes produces harmful substances, necessitating urgent public health policies on flavored vapes. Using AI, the study identified numerous hazardous chemicals, indicating potential long-term health risks and the need for comprehensive regulation. New research has identified potentially harmful substances produced when e-liquids in vaping devices are heated for inhalation.
Published in Scientific Reports , the study underscores the urgent need for public health policies addressing flavored vapes. The research team at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences , Dublin, used artificial intelligence (AI) to simulate the effects of heating e-liquid flavor chemicals found in nicotine vapes. They included all 180 known e-liquid flavor chemicals, predicting the new compounds formed when these substances are heated within a vaping device immediately prior to inhalation.
The analysis revealed the formation of many hazardous chemicals including 127 which are classified as ‘Acute Toxic’, 153 as ‘Health Hazards’, and 225 as ‘Irritants’. Notably, these included a group of chemicals called volatile carbonyls (VCs) which are known to pose health risks. Sources for VCs were predicted to be the most popular fruit, candy, and dessert-flavored products.
Lead author, Professor Donal O’Shea, Professor of Chemistry and Head of Department, said the findings are very concerning: “We wanted to understand, before i.
