What Chemicals Are in Vapes: Separating Fact from Fiction

As vapes and e-cigarettes are becoming more widely smoked, greater focus has been placed on the ingredients used to make them and whether they pose a health risk.

 So, what chemicals are in vapes exactly? In this guide, we take a comprehensive look. We examine whether these chemicals are harmful, and explore the different types found in brands like Hyde, Breeze and disposable vapes, which are perhaps the most popular of all.

We understand the potential health risks that vapes can have, especially when smoked in public places.

If you need any help or support with vape alarm systems  Contact SES Technologies 

About Vapes, E-Cigarettes and Their Regulation

Vapes have been around a lot longer than many people think. In fact, the first e-cigarette was introduced to the public in 2003 in China, an invention by a pharmacist named Hon Lik.

However, as greater regulation strangled the traditional cigarette smoking market and the health implications became more widely known, vapes emerged as an alternative means of quitting smoking. 

Since that emergence in the early 2010s, a vast range of products has sprung up, offering different flavours and designs. This rapid development in the e-cigarette market has almost outpaced regulation.

The MHRA is the competent authority for the UKs notification scheme for nicotine containing Vaping products (E-cigarettes and refill containers) in Great Britain and Northern Ireland and is responsible, working with other regulatory bodies, for implementing a number of provisions under Part 6 of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR), as amended

The TRPR introduced rules which ensure:

·        minimum standards for the safety and quality of all e-cigarettes and refill containers (otherwise known as e-liquids)

·        that information is provided to consumers so that they can make informed choices

·        an environment that protects children from starting to use these products.

The requirements:

·        restrict e-cigarette tanks to a capacity of no more than 2ml

·        restrict the maximum volume of nicotine-containing e-liquid for sale in one refill container to 10ml

·        restrict e-liquids to a nicotine strength of no more than 20mg/ml

·        require nicotine-containing products or their packaging to be child-resistant and tamper evident

·        ban certain ingredients including colourings, caffeine, and taurine

·        include new labelling requirements and warnings

·        require all e-cigarettes and e-liquids be notified and published by the MHRA before they can be sold

Overall, it’s the job of these bodies to minimise the public health consequences posed by tobacco products, all the while minimising nicotine addiction and promoting smoking cessation. Electronic cigarettes will remain a hot topic of research.

A recent study by University College London found that, in January 2022, 15% of 18-year-old survey respondents in Great Britain used e-cigarettes, up from 11% in January 2021. This compared to 8% among all adults. The proportion of 18-year-old vapers using disposable e-cigarettes increased markedly over the same period from 1% to 57%.

What Chemicals Are in Vapes?

Vaping is seen as a safer alternative to smoking. However, the vapor that these e-cigarettes produce isn’t just made up of water vapor, but a mix of potentially harmful chemicals. Here’s a breakdown:

• Nicotine – one of the most common ingredients and chemicals in vapes is nicotine. This is also a key element of smoking traditional cigarettes, which is an addictive substance. It has been stated that nicotine can harm a developing adolescent brain. In particular, it can affect mood, impulsive behaviours, learning and attention span. It’s why many schools have sought to introduce sensors such as our own, as well as nicotine detectors.

• Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerine (VG) – like nicotine, PG and VG are also common ingredients in e-cigarettes and vaping devices. It’s considered safe to ingest, however, inhalation of high levels of PG, especially over an extended period of time, may cause respiratory irritation.

• Flavouring Chemicals – vapes now come in a wide range of flavours and to achieve these mixtures, manufacturers use a range of chemicals. Whether these chemicals are safe is an area of ongoing research, especially when they’re heated and inhaled.

• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) – these compounds are also found in cigarette smoke, but with vapes they’re generally at a lower level. However, they do still pose adverse health effects.

• Metals – some studies into vapes have found trace amounts of metals like lead. These compounds aren’t used directly in the vape liquid but rather are part of the device itself, often in the heating coils. Cheaper and poorer quality vape devices are more likely to see these issues.

• Acrolein and Formaldehyde – these compounds are also found in tobacco cigarette smoke and again, like VOCs, are also present in vapes, just at a much lower level. Ingesting them is still known to cause harm.

While this list isn’t exhaustive it covers the significant majority of chemicals found in vapes, as well as tobacco smoke. All of them pose a health hazard and risk of lung disease, especially when consumed in high quantities.

What Are Volatile Organic Compounds?

We mentioned volatile organic compounds before and it’s worth explaining them in more detail here.

These chemicals are often used in industrial processes and household products. Prolonged exposure to them can cause respiratory issues, and it’s why VOCs are heavily regulated.

VOCs can be present in vapes when the heating of the liquid creates aerosols. They can produce formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein which are all dangerous chemicals.

Let’s dive deeper and take a look at the chemicals used in specific brands of vapes.

Chemicals Found in Different Types Of Vapes And E-Cigarettes

To get a clearer idea of the chemicals used in vapes, it can help to take a look at some real examples as case studies.

Hyde Vapes

There isn’t much guidance available on Hyde’s own website about the ingredients it uses in its disposable vapes. Research, however, has been conducted into the products and the ingredients used in them. We also know from the packaging and adverts that some Hyde vape products, like the Hyde X Disposable, offer a 5% level of nicotine content.

Hyde Vapes are known to use synthetic nicotine in their products, which a number of manufacturers have turned to because of weaker regulations. This sees them market products as “tobacco free” or even “healthier”. However, as mentioned above, nicotine in any form is harmful to developing brains.

Breeze Vapes

Like Hyde Vapes, Breeze is also a very popular brand. It’s popularity no doubt stems from the wide range of flavours that it offers, from lemon cookies to watermelon and pineapple. These enticing flavourings are aimed to lure people into trying them. And with their disposable nature, they’re very easy to buy and try.

To get these unique flavours, Breeze also uses synthetic nicotine. Breeze also offers more information on its website, and notes in its Disclaimer Policy that the products it sells are not evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It does not state on its site the ingredients used.

Disposable Vapes

As well as the two main brands discussed above, there are a wide range of disposable vapes that offer myriad flavours. Many of these products use synthetic nicotine. The percentage level of nicotine in products sold can range from anywhere from 1% to 5% or more.

It’s always important to read the packaging and look for clear guidance on what it is you’re consuming.

Are There Other Toxic Chemicals In Vapes And E-Cigarettes?

Though we’ve covered a lot of different chemicals so far, studies, such as that conducted by Herrington and Myers in 2015 have found around 60 to 70 different compounds in vape liquid.

Other studies have found a massive 113 different chemicals in 50 brands of vapes. What scientists have found is that the vaporization process can create aerosols and therefore additional compounds. In fact, Herrington and Myers found 18 additional compounds produced by the heating process.

A number of these chemical compounds are described as ultrafine particles which have known carcinogenic properties.

Some of these aerosol compounds include carbonyl, tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) and silicates.

Further research also needs to be conducted into the unique flavours on offer. According to one study in 2014 by Zhu et al, there are more than 7,000 flavours to choose from. One of the issues, however, is that flavouring substances are often not included in lists of ingredients. The concern is that these chemicals used could have toxic effects when heated.

For example, one common chemical used to make sweet vape liquids is saccharides. Some studies have found that this can degrade when heated, producing a compound called aldehydes which can cause irritation to the throat.

Key Takeaways On Chemicals And Vapes

• A range of chemicals are used in e-cigarettes and vapes, sometimes as many as 60 or 70

• The most common chemical is nicotine. Some studies have found that nicotine can impact developing brains.

• Other chemicals found in vapes can cause respiratory irritation. In rare cases, metal compounds like lead can form part of the vapor produced by devices.

• Brands like Hyde Vapes and Breeze use synthetic nicotine to bypass tighter regulations. Some products are not evaluated by the FDA.

How SES Technologies  Can Help You

We understand the need to keep public spaces safe for everyone.we supply and install smart sensors to detect vapor from e-cigarettes. - Contact Us today