Objective:

To investigate the presence of toxic metals in e-cigarette aerosols and their deposition in lung tissue following short-term exposure.

Key Findings:

• Toxic metals detected in e-liquid included aluminum, nickel, copper, arsenic, tin, mercury, and lead.
• Aerosol analysis revealed metal-containing species associated with several toxic metals.
• Elemental imaging showed increased nickel and lead concentrations in lung tissue after aerosol exposure.
• Spatially uneven metal deposition patterns were observed in lung regions.

Interpretation:

The findings indicate that e-cigarette devices are a significant source of inhaled metal contaminants, which are not typically considered in safety assessments.

Limitations:

• The study utilized a short-term mouse model which may not reflect long-term human exposure.
• Only one type of refillable e-cigarette device was tested, limiting the generalizability of results.

Conclusion:

Routine testing of metal emissions from e-cigarette devices is warranted, and further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of metal deposition in lung tissue.