The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) or e-cigarettes among youth and young adults has increased  in the United States over the last decade. More than 2 million youths in the US were using e-cigarettes, according to the 2021 National Youth Tobacco Survey.

Due to the lack of research in the marketplace, Chemical Insights Research Institute and Georgia State University’s School of Public Health launched an initiative to examine the harmful effects of vapes and e-cigarettes. During the study, researchers characterize airborne particulate aerosols and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released during use to determine the exposure levels and toxicity for users and bystanders. Researchers also conduct real-time exposure studies, characterize the physicochemical aerosols, and measure the biological activity and genotoxicity of the ENDS aerosols.

Preliminary toxicological assessments demonstrate toxicity of both pod and tank ENDS devices and e-liquids using multiple methods of evaluation and were published in a September 2021 report: “Physicochemical and Toxicological Characterization of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems.”

Additionally, Chemical Insights Research Institute in partnership with Purdue University and Georgia State University, has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to establish the risk factors and biomarkers of gingival inflammation, the precursor to periodontal disease, associated with ENDS usage.