Bacterial and fungal toxins linked to asthma may be contaminating popular vaping products, research suggests.
Scientists tested 75 e-cigarette single-use cartridges and refill liquids, and discovered traces of harmful bug chemicals in 27% of them. Glucan, a sugary molecule found in most fungi, was detected in 81% of the products.
Exposure to these toxins has been associated with health problems, including asthma, impaired lung function and inflammation, according to the researchers.
Professor David Christiani, from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said: “Finding these toxins in e-cigarette products adds to the growing concerns about the potential for adverse respiratory effects in users.”
The news comes after a leading British expert accused Public Health England (PHE) of ignoring mounting evidence about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes. Professor Martin McKee, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, claimed the UK was “out of step” with other countries when it came to messages concerning vaping safety.
McKee said e-cigarettes shouldn’t be actively promoted as a stop-smoking aid without knowing more about the effects of inhaling nicotine and flavouring chemicals.
“When we look at the evidence we do have, there’s enough grounds for serious concerns,” he told the Press Association.
The director of health improvement at PHE, Professor John Newton, said there was widespread agreement between experts that vaping is “far less harmful than smoking”.
However, previous research also found chemicals linked to severe lung disease were present in common e-cigarette flavour additives. Bacterial levels were higher in fruit-flavoured products, indicating a possible link with the ingredients used in flavouring production.
Glucan was significantly more abundant in tobacco and menthol-flavoured products, and three times more concentrated in cartridges than in e-liquids.
Co-author of the research, Dr Mi-Sun Lee, from the Harvard Chan School, said: “In addition to inhaling harmful chemicals, e-cig users could also be exposed to biological contaminants like endotoxin and glucan.
“These new findings should be considered when developing regulatory policies for e-cigarettes.”
For more information on e-cigarettes, and how to quit smoking, visit the NHS website.