(176ax) Carbon Monoxide Concentration in Mainstream E-Cigarette Effluent Measured with Diode Laser Spectroscopy

The e-fluid heated in e-cigarettes is largely composed of organic compounds, specifically propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and flavoring compounds. When heated, as it is in an e-cigarette (drug delivery device), the chemical species in this fluid have the potential to oxidize into carbon monoxide and other species. Using diode laser spectroscopy, the concentration of carbon monoxide in e-cigarette effluent as a function of e-cigarette power and flavor was measured. Carbon monoxide concentration was found to be a direct function of the power of the resistive heating. At the highest powers testable using commercial e-cigarette components, the maximum CO concentration measured was over 180 ppm. These are the first known measurements of CO in the mainstream flows from a commercial device. The flavoring compounds in the e-fluid also had an effect on the concentration of carbon monoxide present in the effluent.