Hidden Toxins In E-Cigarette Fluids May Harm Lung Cells: Researchers | Outlook India
Heating e-cigarette fluid's main ingredient, propylene glycol, creates toxins like methylglyoxal that damage human lung cells, researchers found.Summary
A new study from the University of California, Riverside, published in Frontiers in Toxicology, reveals that heating propylene glycol, a primary component in e-cigarette fluids, generates toxic chemicals—methylglyoxal and acetaldehyde—capable of damaging human lung cells. Researchers found that both substances interfered with critical cell functions, with methylglyoxal causing more severe damage, disrupting mitochondrial energy production and weakening the actin cytoskeleton, indicators of potential long-term respiratory injury. Lead author Prof. Prue Talbot noted that methylglyoxal might be particularly toxic despite appearing in smaller quantities. Alarmingly, the study indicated that lower-powered e-cigarette devices might produce higher levels of methylglyoxal, emphasizing the critical need to understand these byproducts for future e-cigarette safety assessments.
(Source：Outlook India)
