vaping-induced lung illness and the chemistry of vaping
TRANSCRIPT
VAPING-INDUCED LUNG ILLNESS AND THE CHEMISTRY OF VAPING
Professor Robert M. StronginDepartment of Chemistry, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97201
Understand emerging products (concentrates) and ROAs (vaping, dabbing)
Elucidate vaping chemistry and aerosol product profiles
Help promote evidence-based harm reduction strategies
OUR FOCUS
BACKGROUND: PROPYLENE GLYCOL AND GLYCEROL VAPING CHEMISTRY
Strongin, R. M. E-Cigarette Chemistry and Analytical Detection Ann Rev Anal Chem 2019, 12, 23-39.
WHAT HAPPENS TO CANNABINOIDSAND TERPENES WHEN VAPING ORDABBING CONCENTRATES?
Chemistry and Analysis of Phytocannabinoids and Other Cannabis Constituents, Brenneisen, R. Marijuana and the Cannabinoids, ElSohly, M. A., Ed. Humana Press: New Jersey, 2007.
Ross S. A., ElSohly, M. A., The Volatile Oil Composition of Fresh and Air-Dried Buds of Cannabis sativa, J. Nat. Prod. 1996, 59, 49-51.
METHODOLOGY: AEROSOL GENERATION AND COLLECTION: EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN FOR DABBING
Meehan-Atrash, J. et al. ACS Omega, 2019, 4, 16111-16120.
METHODOLOGY: AEROSOL GENERATION AND COLLECTION: EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN FOR DABBING
Meehan-Atrash, J. et al. ACS Omega, 2019, 4, 16111-16120.
METHODOLOGY: ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUESMeehan-Atrash, J. et al. ACS Omega, 2019, 4, 16111-16120.
METHODOLOGY: ANALYZING GAS-PHASE PRODUCTS FROM VAPING AND DABBING: ATD-GC-MS AND NMR
Meehan-Atrash, J. et al. ACS Omega, 2019, 4, 16111-16120.
TERPENES FORM ISOPRENE WHICH UNDERGOESFURTHER REACTIONS
Meehan-Atrash, J. ACS Omega 2017, 2, 6112-6117
ISOPRENE ATMOSPHERIC OXIDATION PRODUCTS ARE FORMED DURING TERPENE DABBING
WHAT HAPPENS TO CANNABINOIDS WHEN VAPING OR DABBING CONCENTRATES?
CANNABINOIDS ARE TERPENOPHENOLS:SHOULD LEAD TO SIMILAR GAS-PHASE PRODUCT PROFILES AS
FOUND FROM OTHER TERPENES
PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS OF CANNABINOID THERMOLYSIS: EARLY-TO-MID 1970’s
C4 – C5 C6 – C7 C8 – C10
CHROMATOGRAM OF THC DAB GAS-PHASE PRODUCTS
O
O
O O
+
HPHCs FOUND DURING VAPING AND DABBING THC AND 9:1 THC:TERPENES
HPHCs FOUND DURING VAPING AND DABBING THC AND 9:1 THC:TERPENES: COMPARISON TO SMOKING PLANT MATERIAL
E-CIGARETTE, OR VAPING, PRODUCT USE-ASSOCIATED LUNG INJURY (EVALI)
• ED VISITS ARE ON THE DECLINE SINCE SEPT 2019 BUT ARE STILL BEING REPORTED BY STATE AGENCIES
• VITAMIN E ACETATE HAS BEEN FOUND IN THE BAL FLUID OF A LARGE MAJORITY OF EVALI PATIENTS
• WHILE IT APPEARS THAT VITAMIN E ACETATE IS ASSOCIATED WITH EVALI, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT SUBSTANCES AND PRODUCT SOURCES THAT ARE BEING INVESTIGATED, AND THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE CAUSE.
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html
HARM REDUCTION AND POTENTIAL UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES
1. The vaping industry has assumed/oversold the safety of the products
The vast majority of the “GRAS” ingredients have unknown inhalation toxicity
Prominent, vocal advocates have told the public that the aerosol, including ultrafine particulate matter, is mainly harmless water vapor, and that vaping is no more harmful than drinking coffee-nanoparticles made or “water”
2. At least some in the industry have clearly targeted teens and children
3. Attacked legitimate, peer-reviewed scientific researchProminent, vocal advocates state that users can self-regulate toxin intake-because toxins taste really bad!
ARE THERE OTHER ADULTERANTS BESIDES VITAMIN E ACETATE?
PINE ROSIN OR PINE RESIN?
Pine resin (liquid) is distilled to produce pine rosin, aka colophony, a brittle solid at rt)
• USED IN SOLDER, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, ETC.
• IS A KNOWN INDUSTRIAL INHALATION HAZARD
• CAUSES OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA/ACUTE AND CHRONIC LUNG INJURY
• AT A LEVEL OF JUST 1 % IN THC OIL, PUF HIT HAS ~ 3500 TIMES THE 15 MIN TIME WEIGHTED EXPOSURE THRESHOLD
Pine rosin sample in the syringe was analyzed: It contains MCT oil to make it fluidpine rosin
SAMPLE CONSTITUENTS IDENTIFIED
CRUDE SAMPLE
COMMERCIAL PINE ROSIN
1H NMR SPECTRA: OVERLAY OF CRUDE SAMPLE (TOP) WITH A COMMERCIAL SAMPLE (BOTTOM) OF PINE ROSIN
MCT OIL PEAKS
Vapers can self-regulate toxin intake?Vapers can self-regulate toxin intake?
Email I received Monday, August 26, 2019, from a vaper in the UK:
“Friends that vape have often tried my e-cigarette and coughed after the first puff yet I am able to pull long drags on the same device with no effect.
It came to mind that I may have developed a tolerance for the burned taste that would prevent a user from continuing to inhale the harmful chemicals.
I wondered how many people out there are unknowingly exposing themselves and more importantly children and vulnerable people to this danger.”
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Jiries Meehan-AtrashNicole JavalyAlicia Ortiz
The National Institutes of HealthThe US Food and Drug Administration
The presenter is solely responsible for the content in this presentation