volatility characteristics of electronic cigarette aerosols
TRANSCRIPT
Volatility Characteristics of
Electronic Cigarette Aerosols
Jacob Swanson1,2, Noah Bock1,2, Will Northrop1
1Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
2Dept. of Integrated Engineering
Minnesota State University – Mankato
2015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
E-Cigarettes (“E-Cigs”) produce an inhalable
aerosol by vaporizing a mixture of liquids
• Nearly all E-cigs use battery to power a heating coil in
contact with a wicking material saturated with E-liquid
• Some are disposable.
2015 Cambridge Particle Meeting 2
Four standard “E-liquid” constituents
• Glycerol, C3H8O3
– Produces aerosol that resembles smoke
• Propylene Glycol, C3H8O2
– Nicotine carrier, reduces viscosity
• Nicotine (0 – 24 mg·mL-1)
– Generally pharma grade
• Flavoring
– FDA approved PG-based food flavoring
Glycerol
Propylene glycol
Nicotine
32015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
E-cigs are emerging as a safe
alternative to tobacco cigarettes
• Manufacturers claim E-cigs to be safe
(no “toxic chemicals”)
• User perception of safety: 50% say
“safer” vs 2% say “less safe” in the UK
(http://www.ash.org.uk/)
• 2.5 million E-cig users compared to 45
million smokers in the U.S. (3 mil+ in
the UK)
• 13% of high school students use E-cigs
42015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
Experimental objectives
• Construct apparatus that allows
continuous, automated use of a typical
E-cig
• Characterize size, concentration, and
composition particles in E-cig aerosol
• Explore the impact of E-liquid
additives and power on E-cig aerosol
• Determine temporal variability of
aerosol properties
62015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
Battery powered E-cig apparatus
Air in
Aerosol out
Solenoid
Kanthal (FeCrAl)
heating coil
Cotton wick
Battery
enclosure
20 mm
72015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
Battery powered E-cig apparatus
Air in
Aerosol out
Solenoid
Kanthal (FeCrAl)
Heating Coil
Cotton Wick
Battery
Enclosure
20 mm
82015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
Primary limitations: battery life and
E-liquid consumption (~ 10 puffs)
E-Smoking Cycle Simulator (E-SCSTM)
+ -4 V
DC Power Supply
Air in
Aerosol out
5 V input signal
Syringe pump
92015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
Experimental apparatus and instruments
HEPA MFC
DAQ
E-cig
LII
CS
Vent
DilutionCPC
EEPSThe MFC controller pulses
in synchronization with the
E-cig to simulate a user
taking a puff
20 L/min, 0.1 Hz, 3 s pulse
10 L/min
102015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
1500:1
Flavoring and nicotine content have
little impact E-particleTM emissions
1.E+07
1.E+08
1.E+09
1.E+10
5 50 500
dN
/dlo
gD
p,
part
/cm
3
Dp, nm
PG/VG Mix
Flavored No Nicotine
Flavored With Nicotine
Concentrations ~ 1 x 109 particles/cm3 ~ same as tobacco smoke
112015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
The following slides all show
“solid particles” measured
downstream of a catalytic stripper
122015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
1. Averages of 10 puffs
2. Extended evaluation of the life of
the coil
0.0E+00
5.0E+05
1.0E+06
1.5E+06
2.0E+06
100 102 104 106 108 110
Co
nc
en
tra
tio
n, p
art
/cm
3
Puffs
Puff sequence shows highly repeatable
solid E-particle emissions
132015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
Increasing power increases solid particle
emissions; flavoring has little effect
0.E+00
2.E+06
4.E+06
6.E+06
8.E+06
1.E+07
1 10 100
dN
/dlo
gD
p, p
art
/cm
3
Dp (nm)
PG/VG 18 W
PG/VG 13 W
142015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
1 10 100
Dp (nm)
Flavor No Nicotine 13 W
Flavor With Nicotine 13 W
PG/VG 13 W
0.0E+00
5.0E+05
1.0E+06
1.5E+06
2.0E+06
0 100 200 300 400
Co
nc
en
tra
tio
n, p
art
/cm
3
Puffs
Small variation likely due to inconsistent wick saturation
400 puffs shows solid particle emissions
are relatively stable over coil life
152015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
0.E+00
1.E+06
2.E+06
3.E+06
0 200 400 600
Co
nc
en
tra
tio
n, p
art
/cm
3
Puffs
0 200 400 600
Puffs
Flavored E-liquids with and without nicotine
show similar results to standard PG / VG
162015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
Flavor, no nicotine Flavor, with nicotine
LII does not respond to solid E-particles,
suggesting they are not primarily carbon
0
5
10
15
20
25
0 100 200 300
Mass c
on
cen
tra
tio
n,
µg
/m3
Puffs
EEPS LII
172015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
Solid E-particles were collected on silver
membrane filters for Laser Induced
Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis
• ~ 3 µg/m3 for 3 seconds @ 2.6 L/min = 0.39 ng/puff
• 350 puffs
• ~ 1 µg of solid particles per cm2 of filter
CSHEPA MFC
DAQ
E-cig
Filter Area = 0.128 cm2
182015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
LIBS results not conclusive – only
calcium identified above LOD
192015 Cambridge Particle Meeting
0
1000
2000
3000
Ag 328 Ag 338 Ca Cr Rb
Inte
ns
ity (
a.u
.)
Flavored with nicotine Unloaded filter
We thank TSI for loan of the LIBS for this work
Summary
• Semi-volatile E-particles (~ 60 nm in size) are emitted in extremely high concentrations
• 10 nm solid particles are emitted in lower concentrations (1 x 106 part/cm3) and their composition is unknown
• Time (# puffs), E-liquid, flavoring, nicotine all had relatively little impact of solid and semi-volatile E-particle emissions
• Future work includes better LIBS analysis and FTIR detection of gases of interest (HCHO, N2O)
202015 Cambridge Particle Meeting