Vaping product exposure system (VaPES): a novel in vitro aerosol deposition system

Abstract

Objective

Due to recent increases in the use of vaping devices, there is a high demand for research addressing the respiratory health effects of vaping products. Given the constantly changing nature of the vaping market with new devices, flavors, metals, and other chemicals rapidly emerging, there is a need for inexpensive and highly adaptable vaping device exposure systems. Here, we describe the design and validation of a novel in vitro aerosol exposure system for toxicity testing of vaping devices.

Materials and methods

We developed an inexpensive, open-source in vitro vaping device exposure system that produces even deposition, can be adapted for different vaping devices, and allows for experiments to be performed under physiological conditions. The system was then validated with deposition testing and a representative exposure with human bronchial epithelial cells (hBECs).

Results

The Vaping Product Exposure System (VaPES) produced sufficient and uniform deposition for dose-response studies and was precise enough to observe biological responses to vaping exposures. VaPES was adapted to work with both pod and cartridge-based vaping devices.

Conclusion

We have designed and validated a novel vaping device exposure system that will eliminate the need to use high-cost commercial exposure systems, lowering the barrier to entry of physiologically relevant vaping studies.

Keywords:

• Vaping
• e-cigarette
• inhalation
• exposure
• computer-controlled
• exposure system
• in-vitro
• aerosol
• cannabinoids

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

All data associated with this paper are either included in the main body of the text or openly available at https://doi.org/10.15139/S3/GUGEQC.

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplementary materials

Additional information

Funding

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute;National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences;