What Did the CDC Find When Testing the Air in Vape Shops?

 　　A new report from a U.S. government agency says its testing showed that levels of “vapor-related chemicals” in the air of a vape shop were all below workplace safety limits.

  　　The report, titled “Evaluation of Chemical Exposures at a Vape Shop,” was released in July by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), although the testing itself was conducted in January 2016. The shop was not identified in the report.   　　NIOSH is a division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Its mission is “to develop new knowledge in the field of occupational safety and health and to transfer that knowledge into practice.” NIOSH says its job is to ensure “safe and healthful working conditions for every man and woman in the nation and to preserve our human resources.”   　　What were they looking for?   　　According to the report, the agency’s main goal was to assess employees’ potential exposure risks to chemicals. “Our work included: (1) air sampling for specific flavoring chemicals associated with respiratory disease; (2) air sampling for nicotine, propylene glycol, formaldehyde, and other volatile organic compounds; (3) surface sampling for metals and nicotine; and (4) observation of work practices.” Strangely, we still have not seen the CDC publicize this report.   　　The shop sold both prepackaged e-liquid brands and its own house-made e-liquids. These custom e-liquids were mixed by employees at the vape bar. The store was about 1,000 square feet, employed 10 staff members, and operated during typical retail hours. NIOSH collected air samples from several locations in the store and tested for diacetyl, acetyl propionyl (2,3-pentanedione), acetoin (2,3-hexanedione), acetaldehyde, and formaldehyde. They also tested the air for nicotine, propylene glycol (PG), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and collected surface samples to measure metals.   　　What did they find?   　　The first thing they found was troubling: employees were keeping nicotine base (100 mg/mL) in the same refrigerator where they stored their food. That should not happen. It especially should not happen when a government agency is observing your workplace. Employees also rarely wore gloves when handling 100 mg/mL nicotine, even though gloves were available. Again, not a wise practice.   　　As for the air samples... well, not even one came remotely close to the various exposure limits NIOSH compared them against. Results varied, but overall there was little cause for concern. The findings reflected air samples collected throughout the full workday in the vape bar area.   　　See Table 3 for the break area samples collected using silica gel tubes. “Diacetyl, 2,3-pentanedione, 2,3-hexanedione, and ethylene glycol were not detected in the break area.” In full-shift area air samples taken behind the e-liquid bar using silica gel tubes, they found detectable but non-quantifiable concentrations of 2,3-pentanedione on Day 1. They found no detectable concentrations of the other flavoring chemicals in the remaining samples. In 2 of the 8 samples, formaldehyde levels were about half of the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL). The remaining samples were low or non-detectable. They noted: “Low levels of formaldehyde are found in many indoor environments because it off-gasses from indoor furnishings, clothing, and other materials.”   　　Nicotine came with an asterisk: “Estimated concentration; this concentration falls between the minimum detectable concentration and the minimum quantifiable concentration.” In other words, the amount measured was too low to provide an accurate figure.   　　U.S. health department study: chemicals in #vape shops below occupational exposure limits. https://t.co/8JCcDN3Gbi Vaping should be allowed in vape shops — Colin Mendelsohn (@colinmendelsohn), September 19, 2017   　　Volatile organic compounds: “All compounds that employees were exposed to were far below the OELs (occupational exposure limits).” Metals: “Quantifiable concentrations of calcium (15–94 micrograms per 94 square centimeters (?g/100 cm2)), copper (nd–0.49 ?g/100 cm2), iron (nd–1.8 ?g/100 cm2), and potassium (ND–17 ?g/100 cm2) were identified in wipe samples. Concentrations of chromium, lead, magnesium, nickel, phosphorus, strontium, and tellurium were also found in some samples.”   　　“Some of the other elements we found on surfaces are present in human sweat (calcium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus),” they noted. “It is unclear whether they came from e-cigarettes, from people touching surfaces, or both.” NIOSH’s conclusion was fairly restrained.   　　“Employees were exposed to detectable airborne levels of diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione while working in the vape shop,” they wrote. “Although the measured concentrations were below all applicable standards, to better protect employee health, we recommend that employers implement a policy prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes containing diacetyl in the workplace.”   　　“The concentrations of other vapor-related chemicals that we measured were also below their relevant limits. Employees should be trained in proper chemical handling procedures, and when handling nicotine-containing liquids, they should consistently use chemical-protective nitrile gloves.”   　　No news is good news   　　Strangely, we still have not seen the CDC publicize this report. You would think the CDC would want to share good news showing that vape shop owners and employees are not putting their health at risk simply by breathing the air in these stores. There was no press release, no media briefing, and no correction to last year’s Surgeon General report that helped spread alarm. #p#Page Title#e#