New Health Threat Discovered in E-Cigarettes - Jordan News | Latest News from Jordan, MENA
Heating e-cigarette liquid's main ingredient creates toxic chemicals, methylglyoxal and acetaldehyde, which damage human lung cells.Summary
Scientists at the University of California, Riverside found that heating propylene glycol, the primary component in most e-cigarette liquids, generates two toxic chemicals: methylglyoxal and acetaldehyde. When lab-grown human airway tissue was exposed to these compounds, both disrupted essential cellular functions. Methylglyoxal proved significantly more harmful, even at lower concentrations, by interfering with mitochondria (the cell's energy producers) and weakening the actin cytoskeleton, which maintains cell structure. Senior author Professor Prue Talbot warned that these signs of stress and injury could lead to long-term health issues with repeated vaping exposure. While acetaldehyde is known for its link to lung disease, Talbot suggested methylglyoxal might be more toxic despite being present in smaller amounts. Lead author Man Wong noted that lower-powered devices might produce higher levels of methylglyoxal, emphasizing that understanding these byproducts is crucial for assessing long-term health risks associated with nearly all e-cigarettes that use propylene glycol.
(Source：jordannews.jo)
