Update from Colorado Green Labs:
The study will present key findings here, with related recommendations, and followed by additional posts with the study design, comprehensive results to support the proposed hypotheses, and extended conclusions on the findings.
Key Findings
Findings relate only to airflow-activated (“auto”) vape pens, as only these designs have an open channel into the battery compartment.
- Vape liquid readily seeps into the battery compartment of airflow-activated (“auto”) vape pens.
- In the majority of auto vape pens examined, significant amounts (40mg-80mg) of exposed metal solder is in direct contact with vape liquid entering the battery compartment.Test exposed circuitry and solder joints for toxic metals, including cadmium
- Vape liquid that has entered the battery compartment can be inhaled.
- The lithium ion pouches in the battery casing have sufficient information printed on their exterior to track the hardware back to the manufacturer.
Recommendations
- Evaluate the vape pen battery hardware used by patients who developed VAPI/EVALI for signs of corrosion (ex. verdigris) and exposed metal solder
- Test exposed circuitry and solder joints for toxic metals, including cadmium
- If cadmium or other toxic metals are found in the hardware, patients should be monitored (near- and long-term) for blood and urine cadmium levels. Cadmium has a urinary excretion half-life of 10-30 years and patients with acute exposure would have an increased the risk of kidney damage long after the respiratory illness resolves.
