Vaping topography, analysis of e-cigarette vapours and health risk assessment among current male users in selected population
Rising use of electronic cigarettes (EC) and limited data on its local vaping topography raise concerns and a challenge for a comprehensive health risk assessment to be done. This study aimed to estimate the non-carcinogenic health risks due to exposure to aluminium, chromium, iron, and copper as...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/103789/1/NAJIHAH%20BINTI%20ZAINOL%20ABIDIN%20-%20IR3.pdf |
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| Summary: | Rising use of electronic cigarettes (EC) and limited data on its local vaping
topography raise concerns and a challenge for a comprehensive health risk
assessment to be done. This study aimed to estimate the non-carcinogenic
health risks due to exposure to aluminium, chromium, iron, and copper as well
as carcinogenic health risks from the exposure to formaldehyde, acetaldehyde,
nickel, cadmium, and lead that are present in the EC vapours produced by
locally-manufactured e-liquids. This study which was conducted in the Klang
Valley, Selangor from February 2017 to April 2019 were divided into four substudies:
i) a community survey on vaping topography, ii) chemical analysis of EC
vapours, iii) daily exposure prediction modelling, and iv) Health Risk Assessment
(HRA) of EC use. Data on vaping topography were gathered through purposive
distribution of survey questionnaires to 226 tobacco users, including EC users.
For the chemical analysis of the EC vapours produced by the ten local e-liquid
samples, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) was
used to determine the concentrations of selected aldehydes whereas heavy
metals content was quantified using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass
Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Sub-study III predicted the range of the daily exposures
potentially experienced by the EC users. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic
health risks were estimated in sub-study IV based on the data obtained in substudy
I to III. Out of the 226 tobacco users involved, 38% (n=86) were EC users
who mostly (58.1%) preferred the third generation EC and purchased the product
from the nearby vape shops. Majority of them used nicotinic e-liquid of 6 mg/mL
with preference of creamy and fruity flavours. They reported usage of 50
puffs/day with two e-liquid bottles used up every month. The mean
concentrations of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, aluminium, chromium, iron,
nickel, copper, cadmium, and lead were 4.31 ppm, 3.34 ppm, 0.126 ppm, 0.0258
ppm, 0.646 ppm, 0.520 ppm, 0.118 ppm, 0.00453 ppm, and 0.0288 ppm
respectively when operated in low wattage setting. In high wattage setting, the
concentrations were 7.04 ppm, 5.88 ppm, 0.205 ppm, 0.0323ppm, 1.51 ppm,
0.980 ppm, 0.0495 ppm, 0.00311 ppm, and 0.0256 ppm accordingly. The HRA
estimated that the exposure to selected compounds in EC vapours may
potentially result into 1 and 2 in every 10,000 EC user’s population to develop
cancer in their lifetime. In sum, this study proves that exposures to aldehydes
and heavy metals in EC vapours have measurable carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic
health effects on its users with some were not disclosed and misled
by the vigorous promotions of this product. The growing trend of EC users’
population among never-smokers and the rapid evolution of this product,
continuous research focusing on local EC products and users is necessary to
provide more scientifically-based evidences to authorities for comprehensive
regulations on EC products to be formulated and implemented. Collaborative
efforts from all stakeholders are vital to avert the initiation of tobacco use among
never-smokers to facilitate the achievement of Malaysia as a tobacco-free nation
by 2045. |
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