AEROSOL FROM ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES: LUNG CANCER RISK ESTIMATION FOR DIRECT VAPING AND SECOND-HAND EXPOSURE

Electronic cigarettes (ECs) are perceived to be safer than traditional tobacco cigarettes since the absence of combustion processes. The use of these devices, anyway, expose the users (vapers) to high concentrations of fine and ultrafine particles (UFPs) that could deliver toxic and carcinogenic compounds. In the present work, the Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR) model developed by Sze-To et al. (2012) was applied to evaluate the potential carcinogenic effects of ECs by estimating the probability of cancer incidence in a population of individuals for a specific lifetime, and from people exposure and chemical-specific dose-response data. The risk model adopted in the present work requires the following data: (i) characteristics of the emitted particulate matter in terms of number, surface area and mass concentration as well as particle size distribution; (ii) nature and quantity of the hazardous compounds deposited on the emitted particles and (iii) dose-response characteristics for each compound.