In the latest issue of Atomic Magazine, Charterhouse's entirely pupil-led, written, and published scientific magazine, Gemma, First Year Specialist (Year 12), explores the chemistry behind vapes.
Heavy Metals in the Mix
The increase in popularity of reusable vapes, and the ban on disposable vapes in June, has raised concerns because of the fact that reusable vapes have been found to have more heavy metals present in their vapour like lead, nickel, chromium, and arsenic. These come from the heating element of the vape which degrades over time due to repeated heating and cooling. These metals can end up in your lungs and bloodstream and can trigger blood clotting and exacerbate cardiovascular disease. Lead is a known neurotoxin and is harmful to brain development, while arsenic has been used throughout history as a poison. (cont.)
It is extremely hard to identify all the chemicals one is exposed to when vaping due to the amount of variables that effect their production. For example power and catalytic properties of the coil, design of the vape itself, airflow and potential overheating to name a few.
gemma, first year specialist (year 12)
