Despite being banned in Brazil, electronic smoking devices, popularly known as vapes or pods, are widely available and continue to attract both adolescents and adults. In reference to World No Tobacco Day, the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics issued an alarming alert, indicating that one-third of adolescents have already been exposed to vapes.
Recent data from the National School Health Survey (PeNSE 2024) reveals a significant increase in the use of these products. In a period of just five years, the percentage of young Brazilians aged 13 to 17 who have tried vapes rose from 17% to nearly 30%.
Initially introduced by the tobacco industry as an alternative to conventional cigarettes, vaping has become a highly marketable item but represents a serious challenge to global public health. Over the last decade, the global vape market has grown exponentially, rising from 3.3 billion dollars to 26 billion annually.
From a public health perspective, studies have already proven that these devices carry serious risks, including rapid chemical dependence and the potential for severe respiratory diseases, such as E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI). These immediate impacts raise concern due to possible unknown long-term effects, being particularly dangerous for young people as they foster a new generation dependent on nicotine.
Given this landscape, researchers from the Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratory at PUC-Rio, in collaboration with the Federal University of Rio Grande, conducted an analysis of the use of Electronic Smoking Devices (ESDs) in the country, culminating in the publication of the first complete study on the subject.
The e-liquids, which are the fluids heated by the device's battery to generate inhalable aerosol, were examined. These e-liquids were obtained through direct donations from users and classified according to their origin: Brazil, China, Europe, Paraguay, and the United States. Only sealed samples were cataloged, grouped, and submitted for analysis, evaluating the regional codes, the proportion of vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol, and the nicotine content listed on the packaging.
Due to variations in regulation and quality control, the research exclusively used samples of liquids sold in refill cartridges. It is important to note that the total collection of donated samples covers materials circulating in Brazil, whether through smuggling, illegal manufacturing, or after customs clearance, intended for individual consumption.
Samples of e-liquids with different regulatory statuses in their places of origin were compared. Samples from the United Kingdom and the United States, where sales are legal but oversight varied, and samples from Brazil and Paraguay, countries where sales and consumption are prohibited and lack rigorous quality control, were analyzed.
For toxicity assessments, yeast, specifically Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and rat heart cells (H9c2 cardiomyoblasts) were employed. The findings confirmed that the e-liquids have varied toxicity profiles, regardless of their origin or market regulation. The results showed that samples from Paraguay exhibited toxicity similar to that observed in European samples.
It must be clarified that the additives contained in e-liquids, such as industrial essences (whether food or cosmetic, along with their solvents) and nicotine (in salt or freebase form), induce oxidative stress. This process constitutes an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body's ability to neutralize them. This excess causes damage to cells, proteins, and DNA, accelerating premature aging and increasing the risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative problems.
The researchers argue that merely regulating commercialization will not solve the problem of toxicity; immediate action and increased public awareness are imperative, regardless of sales permission in each nation.
In another study conducted by the PUC-Rio group, in partnership with the Center for Technology of the Chemical and Textile Industry of Senai, efforts were made to develop agile analytical methods to verify the proportions of the main solvents—vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol—present in the composition of e-liquids. Controlling the quality of these substances is a challenge, given that what is stated on the vape packaging does not always correspond to the product's actual composition, which causes great concern.
Generally, about 95% of an e-liquid is composed of a mixture of vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol. It is crucial to understand that propylene glycol has higher toxicity than vegetable glycerin, making it essential to understand these proportions. Proportions such as 70:30, 50:50, or 30:70 were identified. The remaining 5% is formed by nicotine compounds, food flavorings, and cooling agents.
Considering the inherent difficulties of banning illegal trade, imprecise labeling, high costs of conventional tests, and the need to know the composition to identify the toxicity of e-liquids, the team opted to test an innovative methodology to assess its effectiveness. Instead of resorting to chemical and destructive methods, infrared spectroscopy was used as a fast and non-destructive scanner (FTIR), complemented by a statistical model to refine the spectrum regarding the proportion of each component.
The developed model achieved almost 100% accuracy when compared to the traditional chemical standard, chromatography. To date, this is the first study to propose and validate a distinct approach to quantitatively determine the proportions of vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol in electronic cigarette liquids. It is believed that this could enable more accessible and frequent testing, assisting in analyses that depend on a prior evaluation of the sample composition. However, it is important to emphasize that this model requires broader validation with a larger number of samples to be considered universal, although it represents a promising technology with relevant indicators.
According to the Federal Police, the group utilized a complex logistical structure spanning South America, Europe, and Asia, with a focus on maritime export of cocaine to the European continent.
The investigation revealed operational ties between this organization and the First Capital Command (PCC) and the Red Command (CV), which are two of the largest criminal factions operating in Brazil.
Suspects hid cocaine in containers, disguising it as bags of coffee, cement, and construction mortar to evade customs control at Brazilian ports. Furthermore, investigators discovered the use of chemical modification of substances to conceal the presence of drugs during international transport.
Police stated that the group is suspected of moving multi-million dollar sums through shell companies, cryptocurrency schemes, luxury goods, and real estate used to hide drug trafficking proceeds. Brazilian justice also ordered alternative measures instead of detention, as well as the confiscation of assets and freezing of property belonging to individuals and legal entities under investigation, amounting to up to one billion reais, which is approximately 173 million euros.
The operation, named Operation Commodity, involved federal and state agents executing 13 pre-arrest warrants and 44 search and seizure warrants across the Brazilian states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina, and Espírito Santo. The Federal Police did not disclose the names of the operation's targets nor report on the confiscation of drugs or funds during the execution of the warrants.
