Science Chemistry Research Project
ABSTRACT
The use of electronic cigarette devices has dramatically increased all over the world. These devices that carry vapor that contains nicotine have been marketed and perceived as a healthier alternate to traditional cigarettes as little research has been carried out on their effectiveness in the treatment of dependence on tobacco, reduction of harm to oneself, and their overall effect on people’s health. This paper will discuss how electronic cigarettes cause cancer and air pollution in Tennessee. Researchers have found that electronic cigarettes generate vapor with potentially dangerous toxins and varying quantities of nicotine, although at lower levels as compared to traditional cigarettes. Such toxins may, in turn, result in cancer and pollution.
Keywords; EC, pollution, cancer, and electronic cigarettes.
INTRODUCTION
Electronic cigarettes (ECs) can be defined as electronic gadgets that are used to heat a liquid referred to as an e-liquid that is stored in reusable or disposable cartridges into vapor for one to inhale. They usually contain glycerol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, carbonyl compounds, cadmium, lead, nickel, and may have or not have nicotine flavors (Drummond & Upson, 2014). The quantity of the components varies between ECs, depending on the behavior of the user. The device is activated by puffing or pressing a button, and inhaling the vapor popularly referred to as “vaping.” ECs have become popular, going by other names, including vape pipes, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), e-hookah, and vapor pens. Although they are marketed as a safer alternative to conventional cigarettes, they have been found to contain ultrafine particles of toxins such as formaldehyde, acrolein, toluene, and acetaldehyde.
The earliest version of ENDS can be linked to Herbert A. Gilbert, who patented the original design in 1963 for medicinal purposes. However, his invention was ignored and failed to commercialize as, at the time, smoking was still stylish. Hon Lik is credited with the invention of the modern vapor pen in 2003, designed to produce vapor in the form of smoke to serve as an alternative to smoking. His invention was inspired by his father’s death from lung cancer in 2001, soon after which he also stopped smoking. The EC hit the markets in China in 2004, after which it was exported to US and European markets between 2006 and 2007. There have been various adjustments to the original design over the years, with multiple companies and individuals tinkering with the design to create unique products.
Different users of ECs have various reasons for vaping. Among adults, there are three common reasons for ENDS use; a way of getting around anti-smoke zone laws, as a healthier substitute for conventional cigarettes and as a way to help them cease smoking. However, especially among the youth, vaping is usually a form of recreation. The attraction of vape pipes is that they are flavored, and they do not stain the teeth or have a lingering odor, making users undetectable even in public smoke-free areas. In 2017, a report found that among individuals who were formerly vapers and shifted to smoking, 51.5% of them believed that vaping was a safer choice. Equally, 90% of individuals who quit smoking for vaping echoed the belief that traditional cigarettes are more harmful than ENDS (McNeill et al., 2018). Although most vapers resort to EC because it is a healthier choice, very few of them consider their potential adverse impact on individual health.
Various studies have shown ECs as an effective method of reducing harm and helping smokers quit smoking. However, there exists little data on the adverse health implications of vaping, and most users are blind to such dangers. Moreover, according to the gateway theory, the use of ENDS could predispose users to risk of future drug use with more deleterious substances and involvement in criminal activities. As a result, this paper will examine different studies that bring to light the ability of ECs to cause cancer and pollution in Tennessee with the aim of reducing their use.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This research will use online search engines to search for peer-reviewed journals on the subject of E-cigarettes.
DISCUSSION
According to recent studies, the use of ENDS causes extensive damage to the lungs, an apparent contradiction of popular belief that vaping is healthier in comparison with traditional cigarettes. Exposure to the aerosols in ECs has been found to cause oxidative stress, depletion of glutathione, and the proliferation of cytokines that cause inflammation in human in vitro airway epithelial cells, and in the lungs of in vivo mice. Additionally, mice that have been exposed to smoke from ECs exhibit impaired defense of the pulmonary against the pneumonia bacteria and the Influenza virus. Such changes may eventually lead to suffering from chronic ailments of the airways, like chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) (Drummond & Upson, 2014). More recently, there is evidence to suggest that vaping causes damage to DNA and impairs its mechanisms for epithelial cells within the human bronchi and the lungs of mice. Such effects make the epithelium of the lung more susceptible to tumorigenesis and oncogenic alteration. Such extensive damage to the lungs could potentially serve as a precursor for cancer, a common scenario in Tennessee hospitals.
Another study was conducted in Tennessee to determine whether the lungs of non-smokers have altered biology after exposure to electronic cigarettes. The study was carried out on the alveolar macrophages, and the small airway epithelium cells of ten individuals with no previous smoking experience or exposure to ECs or tobacco, against the same cells after seven of them were exposed to ECs containing nicotine, while three smoked ECs without nicotine (Korfei, 2018). During the study, the respondents were exposed to ECs two times, with ten puffs in each exposure and half an hour interval between the exposures. Although the participants were exposed to ECs for a short while, there was a clear observation of the adverse effects of smoking on the lungs, even when nicotine was absent.
The profiles for expression of genes had significant alterations in both cases of nicotine presence and absence, indicating signatures of inflammation increase, impairment of defenses, activation of p53 and pro-tumorigenesis consistent with lung cancer, when compared to the state of the SAE and AM cells before smoking (Korfei, 2018). Specifically, the SAE cells of individuals who used ECs with nicotine showed significant up-regulation of factors that promote tumors and metastasis and the simultaneous activation of p53 factors associated with the suppression of tumors. Similarly, the SAE cells of those who smoked ECs with no nicotine led to the activation of genes that enhance tumorigenesis, such as FGFBPI. FGFBPI is a precursor for cancer as it enhances the production of FGF during angiogenesis in cancer progression. Moreover, smoking ECs with no nicotine resulted in the expression of some genes that cause an increase in inflammation and activate immune signaling. Such receptors contribute to neutrophilia within the airways and tissue damage by causing neutrophils to adhere to the cells of the bronchi. An examination of the AM cells of EC smokers revealed similar results with the up-regulation of protumorigenic and inflammatory genes.
The majority of health risks posed by traditional cigarettes to both active and passive smokers are well known. Moreover, guidelines for the disposal of tobacco waste is a constant cause for concern among environmentalists as the dangers associated with tobacco are well documented. However, the emergence of ECs poses new challenges for health practitioners in ensuring the health of vapers, those in proximity to them, and for the disposal of EC components. Usually, E-cigarettes store power in a rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery. Due to their growing popularity, it is difficult to predict future technological advances in ENDS technology and rates of consumption for both reusable and disposable varieties. If the current trend continues, the careless disposal of ENDS is going to cause significant environmental pollution.
Most ECs are powered by a Lithium-ion battery (LIB). It is not well known whether different manufacturers prefer different brands of LIB, or whether there is a specific type that is widely used. However, all LIBs are known to be composed of toxic heavy metals that have adverse effects on living things when disposed of carelessly (Lerner et al., 2015). With increasing consumption of ECs in Tennessee, the amount of disposed of LIBs is expected to increase. Some ENDS have replaceable cartomizers made of inorganic materials that hold the e-liquid. Such cartomizers are liable to frequent disposal. Their disposal will add up to the accumulation of cigarette butt waste, potentially introducing new chemicals that are detrimental to flora and animals.
Additionally, all commercial ECs, regardless of their generation, produce particulate matter (PM) during use, causing passive vaping and subsequent air pollution. Passive vaping is a significant concern mainly when it happens indoors in the proximity of children and infants as they receive higher doses of the aerosol as compared to adults (Protano et al., 2018). Moreover, emissions from ECs, in addition to PM, contain harmful compounds like nicotine, volatile organic emissions, carbonyls, and poisonous metals such as silver, zinc, and nickel. The materials used to manufacture ENDS also exhibit reactive oxygen species characteristics similar to traditional cigarette butts, causing pollution.
CONCLUSION
The findings of this research have indicated that electronic cigarettes do indeed cause cancer and environmental pollution. Such paints a grim picture of the future of smokers, particularly the youth who view vaping as a safe way to have fun, as they are unaware of the dangers associated with E-cigarettes. Even traditional tobacco factories are shifting to the manufacturing of ENDS as it is a lucrative emerging business area. The risks posed by vaping go beyond health and environmental pollution, as ENDS can be a gateway for future drug use, encourage nicotine-dependence among those trying to quit and normalize smoking. Moreover, the EC industry is still mostly unregulated, providing an avenue for unscrupulous manufacturers to use toxic substances that may have unforeseen health effects.
As a result, regulations and standardizations of ENDS ought to be enforced to ensure that products meet the proposed safety and efficacy standards. Moreover, more scholars ought to conduct studies about the possible effects of E-cigarettes to inform policies and restrictions against their widespread use. Proper disposal guidelines should also be put in place to prevent pollution from improper disposal. In addition, governments ought to impose legislative interventions with regards to ENDS use in public and outdoor settings to protect fragile individuals from exposure to EC emissions.
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to my parents, the chemistry department, and my classmates for their support and help during this research.
References
Drummond, M. B., & Upson, D. (2014). Electronic cigarettes. Potential harms and benefits. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 11(2), 236- 242. https://doi.org/10.1513/annalsats.201311-391fr
Korfei, M. (2018). The underestimated danger of e-cigarettes – also in the absence of nicotine. Respiratory Research, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12931-018-0870-4
Lerner, C. A., Sundar, I. K., Watson, R. M., Elder, A., Jones, R., Done, D., Kurtzman, R., Ossip, D. J., Robinson, R., McIntosh, S., & Rahman, I. (2015). Environmental health hazards of e-cigarettes and their components: Oxidants and copper in E-cigarette aerosols. Environmental Pollution, 198, 100- 107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2014.12.033
McNeill, A., Brose, L. S., Calder, R., Bauld, L., & Robson, D. (2018). Evidence review of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products 2018. Public Health, England. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/att achment_data/file/684963/Evidence_review_of_e- cigarettes_and_heated_tobacco_products_2018.pdf
Protano, C., Avino, P., Manigrasso, M., Vivaldi, V., Perna, F., Valeriani, F., & Vitali, M. (2018). Environmental electronic vape exposure from four different generations of electronic cigarettes: Airborne particulate matter levels. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(10), 2172. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15102172