Development of Early Warning System for Toxins Related to EVALI and Vaping
Principal Investigator: Jenny Wiley
Funding Mechanism: National Institutes of Health - Grant
ID number: 3R33DA044377-04S1
Award Date: 7/30/2020
Institution: Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International
In this CTP supplement to a parent grant (Co-Abuse of Cannabis and Tobacco), researchers will lay the foundation for developing an early warning system that identifies and evaluates emerging chemical threats posed by e-liquids that may lead to acute illnesses such as e-cigarette/vaping-associated acute lung injury (EVALI). The goal is to detect emerging trends in the composition of vaping liquids and would allow identification and evaluation of possible hazards before their use becomes widespread. Study aims are: (1) to mine social media data to identify emerging vaping products and potential hazardous constituents used in vape liquids; and (2) to analyze the aerosol properties and chemical composition of aerosolized vitamin E acetate (i.e., a chemical already suspected to be hazardous) and other potential hazardous constituents identified from social media monitoring in Aim 1 to determine their effects in lung tissue. Findings may inform future regulatory activities related to e-cigarettes.