E-cigarettes found with Asthma causing toxins

New Delhi : Electronic cigarettes, better known as e-cigarettes, are found to be containing microbial toxins associated with myriad health problems, including asthma, reduced lung function and inflammation, finds a new study.

A group of researchers from Harvard University conducted a study on 75 famous e-cigarette brands - cartridges (single use) and e-liquids (refillable material) – sold in the United States of America.

The findings from the study were published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. The results showed that 27 per cent of the selected products contained traces of endotoxin, a microbial agent found on Gram-negative bacteria, and 81 per cent contained traces of glucan, which is found in the cell walls of most fungi.

“Airborne Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin and fungal-derived glucans have been shown to cause acute and chronic respiratory effects in occupational and environmental settings,” said senior study author David Christiani, Professor at Harvard University.

“Finding these toxins in e-cigarette products adds to the growing concerns about the potential for adverse respiratory effects in users,” Christiani added.

The researchers noted that the contamination of the products could have occurred at any point during the production of the ingredients or of the finished e-cigarette product.

“In addition to inhaling harmful chemicals, e-cig users could also be exposed to biological contaminants like endotoxin and glucan,” said lead author of the study Mi-Sun Lee.