LAUSR

Background and aims The popularity of electronic cigarette devices is growing worldwide. The health impact of e‐cigarette use, however, remains unclear. E‐cigarettes are marketed as a safer alternative to cigarettes. The aim of this research was the characterization and quantification of toxic metal concentrations in five, nationally popular brands of cig‐a‐like e‐cigarettes. Methods We analyzed the cartomizer liquid in 10 cartomizer refills for each of five brands by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP‐MS). Results All of the tested metals (cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese and nickel) were found in the e‐liquids analyzed. Across all analyzed brands, mean (SD) concentrations ranged from 4.89 (0.893) to 1970 (1540) &mgr;g/L for lead, 53.9 (6.95) to 2110 (5220) &mgr;g/L for chromium and 58.7 (22.4) to 22,600 (24,400) &mgr;g/L for nickel. Manganese concentrations ranged from 28.7 (9.79) to 6910.2 (12,200) &mgr;g/L. We found marked variability in nickel and chromium concentration within and between brands, which may come from heating elements. Conclusion Additional research is needed to evaluate whether e‐cigarettes represent a relevant exposure pathway for toxic metals in users. HighlightsCertain brands of cig‐a‐like e‐cigarettes contain high levels of nickel and chromium.Cig‐a‐likes contain low levels of cadmium, compared to tobacco cigarettes.Nickel and chromium in the e‐liquid of cig‐a‐likes may come from nichrome heating coils.