A US study has found teens who vape often have twice as much uranium and 30% more lead in their urine than teens who only vape occasionally.
The researchers also found higher uranium levels in teens who preferred sweet vape flavours, over menthol ones. The study canvassed 200 teens who vape but don’t smoke, which makes it less likely these toxic chemicals were coming from tobacco.
However, the researchers say their observational study can’t prove a direct link between vaping and the toxic compounds, and the relatively small sample size means that more research is needed to make definite conclusions.
Published in Tobacco Control, the study concluded that teen vaping might boost the risk of exposure to lead and uranium, potentially harming brain and organ development, underscoring the need for improved regulations and prevention efforts targeting teens.
Two metals in particular, uranium and lead, have been identified in e-cigarette aerosols and liquids, with increased levels of exposure linked to cognitive impairment, behavioural disturbances, respiratory complications, cancer, and cardiovascular disease in children.
Among the 200 exclusive vapers (63% female), 65 reported occasional use, 45 intermittent, and 81 frequent use; with the average number of recent puffs per day increasing in tandem with vaping frequency: occasional = 0.9 puffs; intermittent = 7.9 puffs; frequent = 27 puffs.
Analysis of the urine samples showed that lead levels were 40% higher among intermittent vapers and 30% higher among frequent vapers than they were among occasional vapers. Frequent vapers urinary uranium levels were also twice as high than among occasional vapers.
One in three (33%) vapers said they used menthol/mint flavours; half (50%) favoured fruit flavours; just over 15% opted for sweet flavours; and 2% used other flavours. Alarmingly, the comparison of flavour types indicated 90% higher uranium levels among vapers who preferred sweet flavours than among those opting for menthol/mint.
No statistically significant differences were found in urinary cadmium levels between vaping frequency or flavour types.
“Although urinary levels indicate chronic exposure, they were assessed at just one point in time, added to which the presence of uranium in the urine may be attributable to various sources including environmental exposure from natural deposits, industrial activities, and dietary intake,” the authors said.
“None the less, these compounds are known to cause harm in humans and of particular concern were the increased uranium levels found within the sweet flavour category.”
They cautioned that as this was an observational study, no definitive conclusions could be drawn about toxic metal levels and vaping frequency/flavours, noting that the levels of toxic metals in vapes could also vary by brand and type of vaporiser used (tank, pod, mod).