ABSTRACT
Electronic cigarettes (ECIGs) electrically heat and aerosolize a liquid-containing propylene glycol
(PG), vegetable glycerin (VG), flavorants, water, and nicotine. ECIG effects and proposed methods to
regulate them are controversial. One regulatory focal point involves nicotine emissions. We describe
a mathematical model that predicts ECIG nicotine emissions. The model computes the vaporization
rate of individual species by numerically solving the unsteady species and energy conservation
equations. To validate model predictions, yields of nicotine, total particulate matter, PG, and VG
were measured while manipulating puff topography, electrical power, and liquid composition
across 100 conditions. Nicotine flux, the rate at which nicotine is emitted per unit time, was the
primary outcome. Across conditions, the measured and computed nicotine flux were highly
correlated (r D 0.85, p < .0001). As predicted, device power, nicotine concentration, PG/VG ratio,
and puff duration influenced nicotine flux (p < .05), while water content and puff velocity did not.
Additional empirical investigation revealed that PG/VG liquids act as ideal solutions, that liquid
vaporization accounts for more than 95% of ECIG aerosol mass emissions, and that as device power
increases the aerosol composition shifts towards the less volatile components of the parent liquid.
To the extent that ECIG regulations focus on nicotine emissions, mathematical models like this one
can be used to predict ECIG nicotine emissions and to test the effects of proposed regulation of
factors that influence nicotine flux.
| First name | Last name | Gender | Rank | Affiliated Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dean Alan | Shihadeh | Male | American University of Beirut | Lebanon | |
|
Bio:
Dr. Shihadeh earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his doctorate in sciences in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the field of combustion in 1998. He taught at Birzeit University before joining AUB as an assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering. |
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Website |
Scientific field
Engineering and technology
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Start Year2013
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End Year 2016
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Sociology of health and illness Health informatics & Clinical informatics Public health Mathematical Model Electronic Cigarette Nicotine
| Funding Agency | Funding Agency Type | Country of Funding Agency |
|---|---|---|
| National Institute on Drug Abuse in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | Governmental Organization | United States of America |
No
No