TY - JOUR T1 - Nicotine in tobacco product aerosols: ‘It's déjà vu all over again’ JF - Tobacco Control JO - Tob Control SP - 656 LP - 662 DO - 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055275 VL - 29 IS - 6 AU - Anna K Duell AU - James F Pankow AU - David H Peyton Y1 - 2020/11/01 UR - http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/29/6/656.abstract N2 - Introduction The distribution of nicotine among its free-base (fb) and protonated forms in aerosolised nicotine affects inhalability. It has been manipulated in tobacco smoke and now in electronic cigarettes by the use of acids to de-freebase nicotine and form ‘nicotine salts’.Methods Measurements on electronic cigarette fluids (e-liquids) were carried out to determine (1) the fraction of nicotine in the free-base form (α fb) and (2) the levels of organic acid(s) and nicotine. Samples included JUUL ‘pods’, ‘look-a-like/knock-off’ pods and some bottled ‘nicotine salt’ and ‘non-salt’ e-liquids.Results α fb= 0.12 ±0.01 at 40°C (≈ 37°C) for 10 JUUL products, which contain benzoic acid; nicotine protonation is extensive but incomplete.Discussion First-generation e-liquids have α fb ≈ 1. At cigarette-like total nicotine concentration (Nictot) values of ~60 mg/mL, e-liquid aerosol droplets with α fb≈ 1 are harsh upon inhalation. The design evolution for e-liquids has paralleled that for smoked tobacco, giving a ‘déjà vu’ trajectory for α fb. For 17th-century ‘air-cured’ tobacco, α fb in the smoke particles was likely ≥ 0.5. The product α fbNictot in the smoke particles was high. ‘Flue-curing’ retains higher levels of leaf sugars, which are precursors for organic acids in tobacco smoke, resulting in α fb ≈ 0.02 and lowered harshness. Some tobacco cigarette formulations/designs have been adjusted to restore some nicotine sensory ‘kick/impact’ with α fb≈ 0.1, as for Marlboro. Overall, for tobacco smoke, the de-freebasing trajectory was α fb ≥ 0.5 → ~0 →~0.1, as compared with α fb= ~1 →~0.1 for e-cigarettes. For JUUL, the result has been, perhaps, an optimised, flavoured nicotine delivery system. The design evolution for e-cigarettes has made them more effective as substitutes to get smokers off combustibles. However, this evolution has likely made e-cigarette products vastly more addictive for never-smokers. ER -