- A new research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has reported that popular electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) products sold in the U.S. were contaminated with bacterial and fungal toxins. The study has been published online in Environmental Health Perspectives.
- The study had examined 75 popular e-cigarette products and found that 27% contained traces of endotoxin and 81% contained traces of glucan.
- Endotoxin is a microbial agent found on Gram-negative bacteria. Glucan is found in the cell walls of most fungi. Exposure to these microbial toxins has been associated to a number of health problems such as asthma, reduced lung function, and inflammation.
- E-cigarettes are battery- operated devices that do not burn or use tobacco leaves but instead vaporise a solution, which a user then inhales. The solutions contain propylene glycol, nicotine etc. which pose significant health risks, including cancer.
