Heated Tobacco Products: Volatile Emissions and Their Predicted Impact on Indoor Air Quality

Abstract

This study characterized emissions from IQOS, a heated tobacco product promoted as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes. Consumable tobacco plugs were analyzed by headspace GC/MS to assess the influence of heating temperature on the emission profile. Yields of major chemical constituents increased from 4.1 mg per unit at 180°C to 6.2 mg at 200 °C, and 10.5 mg at 220 °C. The Health Canada Intense smoking regime was used to operate IQOS in an environmental chamber, quantifying 33 volatile organic compounds in mainstream and sidestream emissions. Aldehydes, nitrogenated species, and aromatic species were found, along with other harmful and potentially harmful compounds. Compared with combustion cigarettes, IQOS yields were in most cases 1−2 orders of magnitude lower. However, yields were closer to, and sometimes higher than electronic cigarettes. Predicted users' daily average intake of benzene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acrolein were 39 μg, 32 μg, 2.2 mg and 71 μg, respectively. Indoor air concentrations were estimated for commonly encountered scenarios, with acrolein levels of concern (over 0.35 μg m −3) derived from IQOS used in homes and public spaces. Heated tobacco products are a weaker indoor pollution source than conventional cigarettes, but their impacts are neither negligible nor yet fully understood.

Development of a novel method to measure material surface staining by cigarette, e-cigarette or tobacco heating product aerosols

“…The original chamber was also selected as data is available on the settling characteristics of aerosols in the chamber ( Adamson et al., 2012 ) and was used for enamel staining analysis ( Dalrymple et al., 2018 ). The benefit of using a small chamber as described, rather than a full-size room or a larger chamber ( Liu et al., 2017 ; Cancelada et al., 2019 ; Marcham et al., 2019 ) is the scope for accelerated exposure under more controlled conditions. The diffusional and settling behaviour of the test aerosols could also be calculated, enabling a degree of read across of different sets of data; and thus, the relative potential for staining from different products.…”

“…PRRPs when used indoor could result in reduced surface staining as they do not produce any side-stream aerosol. PRRP use indoors has been documented to result in improved air quality, when compared to cigarette use ( McAuley et al., 2012 ; Burstyn, 2014 ; O'Connell et al., 2015 ; Mitova et al., 2016 ; Ruprecht et al., 2017 ; Forster et al., 2018 ; Cancelada et al., 2019 ; Meišutovič-Akhtarieva et al., 2019 ). When used indoors, both main-stream and side-stream CS can reduce air quality and contribute to room odour, surface deposition and staining ( McAuley et al., 2012 ; Burstyn, 2014 ; O'Connell et al., 2015 ; Mitova et al., 2016 ; Ruprecht et al., 2017 ; Forster et al., 2018 ; Cancelada et al., 2019 ; Matt et al., 2019 ; Meišutovič-Akhtarieva et al., 2019 ).…”

“…In the laboratory, exposure conditions can easily be controlled, and surface staining assessed using exposure chambers. Exposure chambers can vary in size, the benefit of using a small chamber rather than a large chamber or room ( Liu et al., 2017 ; Cancelada et al., 2019 ; Marcham et al., 2019 ) is the scope for accelerated staining to be assessed. In this study, a small-scale exposure chamber was developed to enable wallpaper and cotton samples to be exposed to main-stream aerosols by diffusion as would occur within a home or commercial premise.…”

“…A number of published studies have highlighted potential health risks of ETS exposure ( US EPA, 1992 ; IARC, 2004 ; California EPA, 2005 ). The health impact of exposure to environmental EC or THP aerosols are currently unknown; however, several studies have demonstrated improved air quality and a reduction of certain toxicants relative to conventional cigarettes ( McAuley et al., 2012 ; Burstyn, 2014 ; O'Connell et al., 2015 ; Mitova et al., 2016 ; Liu et al., 2017 ; Ruprecht et al., 2017 ; Forster et al., 2018 ; Cancelada et al., 2019 ; Meišutovič-Akhtarieva et al., 2019 ).…”

Effects of Exposure to Tobacco Cigarette, Electronic Cigarette and Heated Tobacco Product on Adipocyte Survival and Differentiation In Vitro

“…Over the last few years, these nicotine products have been suggested as less harmful alternatives to conventional cigarettes (i.e., "reduced risk" products) and have entered the market as potential smoking cessation tools. Due to the lack of sidestream emissions (in the case of ECIGs) or presence of minimal sidestream emissions (in the case of HTPs) in indoor environments compared with conventional cigarettes, these products are more socially acceptable and subjected to less stringent regulation than tobacco cigarettes [13]. However, because of their novelty, there is inadequate scientific evidence on the impact of long-term use of these products.…”