A new study is raising concerns over the health impacts of vaping. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that some popular electronic cigarettes produce toxic metals at levels much higher than those found in conventional cigarettes and even earlier generations of e-cigarettes.
The research, published on Wednesday, June 25, in ACS Central Science, shows that a day’s worth of use from one vaping device can release more lead than nearly 20 packs of traditional cigarettes.
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The findings
Scientists also discovered dangerous concentrations of nickel and antimony — chemicals linked to cancer, nerve damage and respiratory problems — in the fumes released by seven devices from three popular brands. Those brands included Esco Bar, Flum Pebble and ELF Bar.
“Our study highlights the hidden risk of these new and popular disposable electronic cigarettes — with hazardous levels of neurotoxic lead and carcinogenic nickel and antimony — which stresses the need for urgency in enforcement,” Brett Poulin, an assistant professor of environmental toxicology at UC Davis and the study’s senior author, said in a statement.
What is an e-cigarette?
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More than 283 million e-cigarettes were sold in traditional retail markets in 2024.
Battery-powered e-cigarettes contain a liquid that the device heats and vaporizes for the user to inhale. They often feature larger tanks and customizable items. They are available in bright colors and come in sweet flavors. Some critics suggest these sweet flavors are a bid to appeal to teens and younger people, even though they’re illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to buy or consume in the U.S.
Although the federal government regulates where and how companies can sell e-cigarette products, many disposable vaping devices still evade oversight. Manufacturers often produce these brands overseas and bring them into the American market through online retailers or underground sales channels.
How did researchers conduct the study?
Researchers tested the e-cigarettes by simulating anywhere from 500 to 1,500 puffs per product. Through analysis, they found that metal concentrations became greater with more use, which they attributed to leaded bronze parts and the breakdown of heated coils.
“When I first saw the lead concentrations, they were so high I thought our instrument was broken,” lead author Mark Salazar said.
A public health concern
The popularity of e-cigarettes among teens is concerning to public health officials, who warn that young people are more at risk of the neurotoxic harms of heavy metals, which can impact long-term brain development and damage the respiratory system.
Representatives from the e-cigarette industry have yet to comment on the latest study.
Those involved in the study hope their findings will lead to more stringent regulations on e-cigarette products and prevent more young people from using them. They also call for more studies on the products, noting that the industry is moving at a rate much faster than science on the long-term impacts of vaping on public health.
