Evaluation of the Components within Electronic Cigarette Liquids and Drugs of Abuse Using Gas Chromatogra - phy - Mass Spectrometry

Introduction: As electronic cigarettes become more prevalent in society, their use as a delivery mechanism for drugs of abuse has increased. Electronic cigarette liquids present a complex matrix due to the lack of regulation in their manufacturing. Due to limited published data development of new analytical methods was deemed necessary. Methods: A Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) method was developed to identify flavorants of the electronic cigarette liquids as well as identify and quantify nicotine and common drugs of abuse used with these devices. Five drugs of abuse were investigated: methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. Electronic cigarette liquids from five manufacturers were sampled and five “flavors” of liquids from each were analyzed. Each liquid “flavor” was tested at the manufactures reported nicotine concentrations of 0 mg/mL, 12 mg/mL and 24 mg/mL (n=75). Liquid-liquid extraction was performed on all samples prior to analysis by GC/MS. Analysis was performed in replicates of five to identify the electronic cigarette liquid components as well as quantify nicotine and the four analytes of interest. For any electronic cigarette liquid labeled as containing 0 mg/mL of nicotine in which nicotine was identified the sample was analyzed by GC/MS to quantify the nicotine level. These concentrations were compared to the naturally occurring levels of nicotine found in certain food products. Results/Conclusions: Identification of flavorants including those not approved for human inhalation, of the electronic cigarette liquids as well as the quantification of nicotine and the four commonly abused drugs was accomplished using GC/MS. Fourteen out of 25 e-liquids labeled by the manufacturer as containing 0 mg/mL of nicotine contained statistically significant levels of nicotine. Quantification of drugs of abuse were affected by matrix components and found to be dependent on both the specific e-liquid being used with the electronic cigarette as well as the analyte being investigated.