Toxins related to lung diseases present in electronic cigarettes

Research suggests that toxins related to lung diseases could contaminate popular vaping products.

US scientists who tested 75 single-use cartridges for electronic cigarettes and refill liquids found traces of harmful chemicals in 27% of cases.

Glucan, a sugar molecule found in most fungi, was detected in 81% of the products.

Toxin exposure has been badociated with a host of health problems, including asthma, impaired lung function and inflammation, according to the researchers.

The "microbial endotoxin" originated from a "gram negative" bacterium, whose resistant outer coating makes them particularly resistant to antibiotics.

Professor David Christiani, of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, who led the team, said: "Airborne gram-negative bacterial endotoxins and mushroom-derived glucans have been shown to have Acute and chronic respiratory effects in the workplace and the environment.

"The discovery of these toxins in electronic cigarette products adds to growing concerns about the potential for unwanted respiratory effects in users."

The news comes a day after a leading British expert accused Public Health England (PHE) of ignoring the growing evidence regarding the harmful effects of e-cigarettes.

Professor Martin McKee, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that the United Kingdom was "out of step" with other countries in terms of messages about the safety of vapers.

He argued that e-cigarettes should not be actively promoted as a smoking cessation aid without knowing more about the effects of inhaling nicotine and flavoring chemicals.

"When we look at the evidence we have, there is enough substance for serious concern," he told the press badociation.

PHE has campaigned for smokers to adopt e-cigarettes, believing that they are 95% less harmful than tobacco products – a figure disputed by Professor McKee.

Professor John Newton, director of health improvement at PHE, said the experts agreed that vaping was "much less harmful than smoking."

The results of the new study are published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Last year in the United States, more than three million high school students reportedly used electronic cigarettes, scientists said.

The figure was 220,000 in 2011.

Previous research conducted by the Harvard Chan School has suggested that chemicals related to severe lung disease were present in common aroma additives for the electronic cigarette.

All products tested in the latest study came from the top 10 US brands.

The levels of bacterial endotoxins were higher in fruit flavored products, indicating a possible connection with the raw ingredients used in the production of flavoring agents.

Glucan was significantly more abundant in tobacco and menthol-flavored products and three times more concentrated in cartridges than in e-liquids.

Researchers believe that cotton wicks used in electronic cigarette cartridges may be a potential source of contamination.

Co-author, Mi-Sun Lee, also of Harvard Chan School, said: "In addition to inhaling harmful chemicals, e-cig users could also be exposed to biological contaminants. such as endotoxins and glucan.

"These new findings should be taken into account when developing regulatory policies for electronic cigarettes."