GC/MS Analysis of Vapes

Presenter

Aiden Tyler Luckey

Campus

Fitchburg State University

Sponsor

Aisling Mary O'Connor, Department of Biology and Chemistry, Fitchburg State University

Schedule

Session 5, 3:30 PM - 4:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C1, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 1 (C1-C10) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

With vape usage rising it is important to check what compounds are present in E-liquids. The various E-liquids were diluted in methanol and analyzed using GC/MS. The GC/MS allowed us to qualitatively analyze what compounds are present in the vapes using the National Institute of Standards and Technology mass spectral library (NIST). The NIST library contains the spectra of  countless compounds and spectra obtained by GC/MS can be compared to the library spectra using MassHunter software. Quantitative analysis was also attempted on nicotine in the E-liquid by using the GC/MS and looking at the area of the nicotine peak and creating a concentration curve. In theory, this can allow us to find the % of nicotine in any vape and confirm if the stated amount of nicotine is the same that we find. We found that the GC/MS and NIST library proved to be accurate and precise showing all of the chemical compounds in each sample. In the qualitative analysis multiple compounds were found to have respiratory irritants, various kinds of decanoic acids were found in eight out of nine of the E-liquids tested. As for the quantitative analysis of nicotine we had technical problems with the calibration curve so we were unable to get accurate results . Doing this kind of testing can give a reliable method to other researchers across the world allowing it to be easier to test all of the compounds in E-liquids making manufactures more honest about what is in their product.

Keywords

Chemistry, vapes, health Concerns

Research Area

Chemistry and Materials Science

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