The Impact of the Storage Conditions and Type of Clearomizers on the Increase of Heavy Metal Levels in Electronic Cigarette Liquids Retailed in Romania

Abstract

The growing popularity of electronic cigarettes has raised several public health concerns, including the risks associated with heavy metals exposure via e-liquids and vapors. The purpose of this study was to determine, using atomic absorption spectrometry, the concentrations of Pb, Ni, Zn, and Co in some commercially available e-liquid samples from Romania immediately after purchase and after storage in clearomizers. Lead and zinc were found in all investigated samples before storage. The initial concentrations of Pb ranged from 0.13 to 0.26 mg L−1, while Zn concentrations were between 0.04 and 0.07 mg L−1. Traces of nickel appeared in all investigated e-liquids before storage but in very small amounts (0.01–0.02 mg L−1). Co was below the detection limits. We investigated the influence of the storage period (1, 3, and 5 days), storage temperature (22 °C and 40 °C), and type of clearomizer. In most cases, the temperature rise and storage period increase were associated with higher concentrations of heavy metals. This confirms that storage conditions can affect metal transfer and suggests that the temperature of storage is another parameter that can influence this phenomenon.