Particle Size Dynamics: Toward a Better Understanding of Electronic Cigarette Aerosol Interactions With the Respiratory System

Abstract

The knowledge of possible acute and long-term health effects of aerosols inhaled from electronic cigarettes (ECs) is still limited partially due to incomplete awareness of physical phenomena related to EC-aerosol dynamics. This short review discusses the basic processes of aerosol transformation (dynamics) upon inhalation, indicating also the need for the accurate determination of the size of droplets in the inhaled EC-mist. The significance of differences in the aerosol particle size distribution for the prediction of regional deposition of inhaled mist in the respiratory system is highlighted as a decisive factor in the interactions of inhaled EC-aerosols with the organism.

Effects of flavorless electronic cigarette aerosol on the survival and growth of common oral commensal streptococci

“…Therefore, conclusions concerning the effects of ECIG aerosol on the survival and growth of commensal bacteria must be considered within the context of variability in the composition of commercially available E-liquids. Another limitation is the fact that flavorless ECIG-aerosol and conventional cigarette smoke are not identical by nature [49]. For example, the E-liquid vaporization process versus the tobacco combustion process result in exposure chambers with different physical environments such as temperature and humidity [40].…”

Vaporization, bioactive formulations and a marine natural product: different perspectives on antivirals

“…At the same time, the fatty acids, ethanol and glycerin provide antagonistic activity toward the virus at the molecular level. In the vaporization process, droplets composed of glycerin and propylene glycol can be in the tens to several hundreds of nanometers diameter range [7]. These nanoparticles will rapidly release their bioactive species in the lungs owing to the high surfacearea:volume ratio.…”

A thematic analysis of smokers’ and non-smokers’ accounts of E-cigarettes

“…As ECs have rapidly evolved, their nicotine delivery has improved, meaning they may be more attractive to smokers as a replacement (Unger and Unger, 2018). ECs generate an aerosol that penetrates deep into the respiratory tract, which achieves instant absorption of nicotine to the pulmonary venous circulations, mirroring tobacco consumption in the form of CTCs (Sosnowski and Odziomek, 2018). Although this could be viewed positively, this means that the addiction potential has also increased (Unger and Unger, 2018).…”