Abstract
The rapid proliferation of electronic cigarettes (ECs) has raised significant concerns about their potential health effects on both users and bystanders. This study systematically investigates the impact of EC aerosol exposure on human alveolar epithelial cells (A549), considering variations in device parameters, nicotine concentration, and exposure type. Using a gravity-based air–liquid interface exposure system, we assessed cytotoxicity and epithelial barrier integrity by measuring cell viability and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER). Our results indicate that EC aerosol exposure significantly reduces cell viability and disrupts monolayer integrity in a dose- and device-dependent manner. Notably, VUSE (pod-type) exposure led to a 16% decrease in viability and a 41% reduction in TEER, while VOOPOO (mod-type) exposure caused a 25% viability loss and a 61% reduction in TEER. Power settings played a critical role: at 60 W, cell viability dropped by 48% at 12 mg/mL nicotine concentration compared to 29% at 0 mg/mL. Moreover, under the same number of puffs (30 puffs), firsthand exposure resulted in a 73% viability decrease, whereas secondhand exposure showed a 47% reduction, indicating substantial bystander risks associated with EC usage. These findings underscore the importance of device specifications and exposure conditions in determining EC aerosol toxicity. The observed epithelial barrier disruption suggests increased vulnerability to respiratory diseases. Given the comparable toxicity of firsthand and secondhand aerosols, regulatory measures should extend beyond direct users to include bystander protection. This study highlights the urgent need for comprehensive toxicity assessments to inform public health policies on EC use.
Recommended Citation
K. F. Kapiamba et al., "Evaluating the Toxicity of Electronic Cigarette Aerosols for Firsthand and Secondhand Exposure under Different Device Operating Conditions," Chemical Research in Toxicology, vol. 38, no. 8, pp. 1344 - 1356, American Chemical Society, Aug 2025.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrestox.5c00064
Department(s)
Biological Sciences
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
1520-5010; 0893-228X
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2025 American Chemical Society, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
18 Aug 2025
PubMed ID
40771151
Comments
National Chengchi University, Grant 2324142