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Study Shows That E-Cigarette Smoke Contains Harmful Heavy Metals

Constantinos Sioutas conducts research on e-cigarette emissions
By: Regina Wu
September 09, 2014 —

Constantinos Sioutas and a team evaluated secondhand smoke from e-cigarettes and found that compared to traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes showed an overall 10-fold decrease in exposure to harmful particles, with close-to-zero exposure to organic carcinogens. However, levels of exposure to some harmful metals in second-hand e-cigarette smoke were found to be significantly higher. Therefore, while still less harmful than traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes show harmful levels of toxins and particles. 

Sioutas and his colleagues at Fondazione IRCCS Instituto Nazionale dei Tumori (National Institute of Cancer Research) in Milan, Italy, began this study with the goal of quantifying the level of exposure to harmful organics and metals in second-hand e-cigarette smoke, in hopes of providing insight for the regulatory authorities. Arian Saffari, a PhD student at USC Viterbi, was lead author of the paper, which was published online on August 22 by the Journal of Environmental Science, Processes and Impacts.

Below is a sampling of recent of media articles about this research.

E-cigarettes produce cleaner second hand “smoke” than traditional cigarettes but still release toxins into the air, according to a study. Scientists discovered an overall 10-fold decrease in exposure to harmful particles, with close-to-zero exposure to organic carcinogens. 

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Second-hand smoke from electronic cigarettes might be less dangerous than smoke from traditional ones. However, they release toxins into the air, according to a new study by the University of Southern California. For the study, the researchers compared smoke coming from a traditional cigarette to that of an Elips Serie C e-cigarette. They said that results varied according to cigarette brands.

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While secondhand smoke created by electronic cigarettes is for the most part less harmful than that emitted by their tobacco-burning cousins, it still puts toxins into surrounding air, a study has found.

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In the culture war on cigarette smoking that lingered long after the science and health issues were settled, nothing spoke to the fuzzy, non-evidence-based nature of arguments than claims that second-hand smoke would give someone lung cancer.

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While previous studies have shown that e-cigarettes are likely healthier than traditional cigarettes, the jury is still out on the long-term effects of this relatively new device.

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Second-hand vapors from electronic cigarettes are less harmful than tobacco smoke, but they still release toxins into the air, according to new research.

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Electronic cigarettes may not have the same harmful particles as traditional cigarettes do — but they might have worse ingredients.

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Although one study has found benefits from past transition from traditional cigarettes to electronic cigarettes, new research from the University of Southern California, believes that in secondhand smoke from e-cigarettes there are several harmful metals in quantities greater than that contained in traditional cigarettes.

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Vapers, those people who use e-cigarettes to give them the sensation and satisfaction of smoking cigarettes without the smoke or stink, are preparing for a citywide ban on the popular devices.

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Researchers from the University of Southern California found out that e-cigarettes release second-hand smoke containing toxic metals such as chromium and nickel.

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Overall, the secondhand smoke generated by electronic cigarettes is less toxic that that from traditional cigarettes, but still releases chemicals into the air that are a health concern, says new research out of USC.

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A new study has demonstrated that a second-hand smoke of e- cigarette has increased levels of certain toxic metals even if they were less harmful as compared to the regular cigarettes.

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