APA News

  • Contaminants in E Cigarettes


    Public Analyst Chris Hunt contributed to the North East and Cumbria’s edition of Inside Out  on BBC 1 on the 1st September. Chris carried out the analysis on some E-cigarette liquids purchased in Gateshead in June of this year. Three of the four samples were free from contaminants, but one contained a low level of diacetyl. Diacetyl is one of the compounds that give butter its characteristic taste and it widely used as an ingredient in butterscotch flavours. Naturally occurring in foods, it is harmless when ingested but can cause harm when inhaled, particularly over a long period. The batch of butterscotch flavoured e-liquids containing diacetyl had previously been identified through the industry’s own self-regulation mechanisms and an instruction to take the affected liquids off sale issued in late May.

    E-cigarettes have appeared on the market in the wake of smoking bans in enclosed spaces. This is a rapidly developing area with many small businesses involved in the import, manufacture and sale of devices and liquids. Nicotine is classified as a
    dangerous substance and, as such, products containing solutions of nicotine are classified as dangerous preparations. Other toxic compounds, such as ethylene glycol or diacetyl may be present.  West Yorkshire Analytical Services where Chris works is the only laboratory to hold UKAS accreditation for the analysis of nicotine content in e-liquids and staff at the laboratory have wealth of experience in this area and can provide authoritative opinion on the legality of any labelling.