Acetaldehyde, acrolein,
and formaldehyde are the principal toxic
aldehydes present in cigarette smoke and contribute to the risk of
cardiovascular disease and noncancerous pulmonary disease. The rapid
growth of the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has raised
concerns over emissions of these harmful aldehydes. This work determines
emissions of these aldehydes in both free and bound (aldehyde–hemiacetal)
forms and other carbonyls from the use of e-cigarettes. A novel silicon
microreactor with a coating phase of 4-(2-aminooxyethyl)-morpholin-4-ium
chloride (AMAH) was used to trap carbonyl compounds in the aerosols
of e-cigarettes via oximation reactions. AMAH–aldehyde adducts
were measured using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to analyze
hemiacetals in the aerosols. These aldehydes were detected in the
aerosols of all e-cigarettes. Newer-generation e-cigarette devices
generated more aldehydes than the first-generation e-cigarettes because
of higher battery power output. Formaldehyde–hemiacetal was
detected in the aerosols generated from some e-liquids using the newer
e-cigarette devices at a battery power output of 11.7 W and above.
The emission of these aldehydes from all e-cigarettes, especially
higher levels of aldehydes from the newer-generation e-cigarette devices,
indicates the risk of using e-cigarettes.