A UC Davis study found some disposable vapes emit more toxic metals — including lead and nickel — than traditional cigarettes.
LordHenriVoton/Getty ImagesSome popular disposable e-cigarettes emit toxic metals at levels that surpass those found in traditional cigarettes and earlier generations of vapes, according to a new study by researchers at UC Davis.
The study, published Wednesday in ACS Central Science, found that a single day’s use of one disposable device released more lead than nearly 20 packs of conventional cigarettes.
Researchers also identified hazardous concentrations of nickel and antimony — metals linked to cancer, nerve damage and respiratory illness — in the aerosol emitted by seven devices from three widely used disposable vape brands.
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UC Davis researchers Mark Salazar, left, and Brett Poulin in a lab with disposable vape pods. Their study found some disposable vapes emit more toxic metals — including lead and nickel — than traditional cigarettes.
Kat Kerlin/UC Davis“Our study highlights the hidden risk of these new and popular disposable electronic cigarettes — with hazardous levels of neurotoxic lead and carcinogenic nickel and antimony — which stresses the need for urgency in enforcement,” Brett Poulin, assistant professor of environmental toxicology at UC Davis and the study’s senior author, said in a statement.
E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid, or e-liquid, into an aerosol that users inhale. Vapes are a type of e-cigarette, often equipped with larger tanks and customizable features.
The products, often brightly colored and candy-flavored, are heavily marketed to teens and young adults, despite being illegal for anyone under 21 in the United States.
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A UC Davis study found that some disposable vapes emit more toxic metals — including lead and nickel — than traditional cigarettes, raising serious health concerns.
Rebecca Blackwell/Associated PressA 2020 FDA rule required market authorization for e-cigarette products, but many disposable vapes — often manufactured overseas — continue to flood the U.S. market through online retailers and illicit distribution channels.
Using a lab device to simulate 500 to1,500 puffs per product, the UC Davis researchers found that metal concentrations increased with use. Leaded bronze components and degrading heating coils were identified as major sources of contamination.
“When I first saw the lead concentrations, they were so high I thought our instrument was broken,” lead author Mark Salazar said in a statement.
The devices’ popularity among teenagers has alarmed public health officials, who warn that adolescents are more susceptible to the neurotoxic effects of heavy metals, with potential long-term impacts on brain development and respiratory health.
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UC Davis researchers found that some disposable vapes emit more toxic metals — including lead and nickel — than traditional cigarettes.
Kat Kerlin/UC DavisFour of the devices emitted nickel and lead at levels surpassing safety thresholds for neurological and respiratory damage. Two exceeded cancer risk limits due to antimony content.
Industry representatives have largely remained silent on the findings, even as calls mount for greater transparency and accountability in manufacturing practices.
Researchers call for stronger enforcement of e-cigarette regulations and expanded study of these increasingly popular devices, noting that the market has vastly outpaced public health science.
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