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Vapor Analysis Results Surprise Scientists

By Matt McConnell

Tuesday June 2, 2015
vapor analysis shows that ecigs create almost no toxins

A vapor analysis study conducted by the journal of “Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology” showed what is actually in ecig vapor. After testing several ecigs and cigarettes, scientists discovered that ecigarette vapor analysis was not that much different from normal, room air. The ecigs tested in this study generated virtually no toxins.

The scientists who conducted the tests were actually surprised by the results. They probably expected to find at least some level of toxins in ecigs because of all the negative publicity that has been hurled at ecigs and American ecig companies over the last year. A good portion of that negative publicity has involved misleading studies that have resulted in ridiculous claims about what shows up in ecig vapor analysis.

There have been many claims about formaldehyde in ecigs and some researchers have even said that ecigarettes are worse than tobacco cigarettes! Not credible researchers but nonetheless such claims made by anyone in a lab coat do make for great, scary headlines. Much of it is driven by the misguided efforts of public health agencies that are spending millions and millions is taxpayer dollars to misinform the public and scare people are electronic cigarettes.

How do they they justify reporting about vapor analysis that shows toxins? Well, when they test ecigs they overheat them and otherwise use them in a ridiculous, unrealistic fashion. The expose ecig heating elements, or atomizers, to extreme power outputs that generate a level of heat that actually vaporizes the metal of the atomizer and burns the eliquid. No one would ever vape like this. No one. The taste and burning smell would be disgusting. Of course, that bit of reality does not prevent the scary headlines.

This is like testing a new airliner by flying it upside down at 1000 mph with no controls in the cockpit. We all know what the outcome of that test will be. Boeing and Airbus better hope that some of these people that are testing ecigs keep their noses out of the aviation business otherwise the only aircraft that could be approved might be the GoodYear blimp.

Some of the health organizations that use the unrealistic results of faux studies to gin up the anti-vaping rhetoric seem to be completely unaware that what they are actually doing plays right into the hands of the enemy that they claim to be fighting, Big Tobacco.

The war on ecigs has an end goal of establishing crushing ecig regulations. The more severe the FDA ecig regulations, the more advantage it is for Big Tobacco to establish a monopoly in the ecig industry. That’s because severe FDA ecig regulations may crush independent American ecig companies but spending the money to get through the FDA approval process will be less than a hiccup given the billions of dollars that Big Tobacco has.

There’s a lot of dynamics and special interests involved in the climate surrounding electronic cigarettes. We know that this campaign of misinformation has influenced the viewpoints of the general public so it is only natural that researchers have also been influenced by what they see in the headlines. Put it all together and it is no wonder why a group of legitimate scientists was so surprised to find out that the vapor analysis that they carried out showed that there is little to no toxins in ecig vapor.

Vapor Analysis Study

ecig vapor analysis shows little or no toxinsIn a massive breath of fresh air, the complete results of this study were released and made widely available. We know the exact results, the exact types of ecigarettes used and how the testing was conducted. Yes, finally, real science.

Researchers ran tests on three flavors of Blu eCigs and two flavors of SKYCigs. They also tested tobacco cigarettes for comparison. They tested Marlboro Golds and Lambert & Butler cigarettes.


The ecigs tested were a Blu Cigs Classic Tobacco and a Blu Magnificent Menthol disposable with a 24 mg nicotine content. A Blu rechargeable ecig was also tested with a 16 mg nicotine Cherry Crush refill cartridge. Also tested were two SkyCig rechargeable ecigs, Tobacco Bold and Menthol Bold, with 18 mg of nicotine.

In this case, we know the ecigs tested and we know how the study was carried out. The researchers were looking for eight specific toxins that are proven health hazards. They looked for all of the following:

Carbon Monoxide

Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines





Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons

Polyaromatic Amines

vapor is better than smokeWhen the researchers tested the tobacco smoke, obviously they detected a range of deadly toxins. On the left, the pie chart on the bottom shows the results of what is in tobacco smoke. The toxins on tobacco smoke are terrible. There is 34% carbon monoxide alone!

Another 41% of tobacco smoke is combustion byproducts. This is not a good situation. Combustion is bad business. It changes the chemistry of anything that burns and converts it into a more volatile mix of tine, penetrating toxins.

On the other hand, ecigarette vapor analysis shows no chemical alteration eliquid ingredients. Basically, this shows the huge difference between combustion and vapor.

In terms of toxins, there was very little to no increase in toxins in ecig vapor versus normal air. This is what really took the researchers by surprise.

In order to even register the slightest trace of toxins, labeled HPHC’s (harmful and potentially harmful constituents) the researchers had to generate 99 puffs on the ecigs to get 0.18 mg of HPHCs. One puff on a Marlboro puts out 30.6 mg of HPHCs.

If you compare one puff on a cigarette to one puff on a standard, decent quality electronic cigarette the cigarette has 2000 times more toxins.

The fact that we are getting some real science and honest results is excellent. We look forward to more valid research being done. The unfortunate thing is that many smokers out there are under the impression that ecigs are as bad as cigarettes so they might as well keep smoking.

2000 times more toxins. Yet there are organizations and researchers out there perpetuating the myth that ecigs are as bad, if not worse than cigarettes. Shame on them.





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