Last updated on August 4th, 2022
Can You Buy Vaping Products That Are Formaldehyde Free?
You may have read an article reporting that e-cigarettes and e-liquids contain formaldehyde. For those of you who are wary of fake-news, you may be wondering if it’s true, or whether it only applies to some, and not all vapor products. Here are the answers to your vaping questions and concerns.
The public really knows very little about this substance. Fewer understand it’s potential dangers. Most of us have visions of well-preserved dead fetuses or brains swimming in glass laboratory jars. There’s really more to it than that.
Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring organic compound with the formula CH2O (H-CHO). It is a common aldehyde gas that’s formed by oxidation or incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. Aldehydes are also called Carbonyls as they contain a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom.
Formaldehyde is in the air you breathe, in products you buy and in foods you eat. It’s also naturally produced in your own body.
Is There Formaldehyde in E-Cigarettes?
The answer to this question is YES and NO.
Regarding E-Liquids – Although not listed as “formaldehyde”, the aldehydes, acetoin, acetyl propionyl and diacetyl may be lurking in your e-liquid.
Not long ago, minute amounts of those chemicals were found in some e-liquids; particularly those that had a cream, vanilla or cinnamon flavor. Although research on the issue showed them to be generally harmless, many ecig companies took action; reformulating flavors or removing some e-liquid flavors from their product line. The result is that you can now buy e-liquids that are free of aldehydes.
If you’re concerned about aldehydes in your e-liquid, check out our most popular post…
Where to Buy ECig E-Liquids That Are Diacetyl, Acetoin and Acetyl Propionyl Free
The bigger concern is that some people have been led to believe that vaping devices naturally deliver this compound. Some people even believe the parts contain this compound. Sensational news stories that make such claims are being debunked by many respected researchers. The fact is, vaping product hardware is composed of parts commonly used in hundreds of thousands of electronic devices.
According to the National Institutes of Health and BioMed Central vaping emits 0.007 parts per million (PPM) of formaldehyde. About the same amount, 0.005 PPM is found in a kindergarten room.
Under certain conditions; however, e-cigarettes can deliver formaldehyde hemiacetals. (more on hemiacetals in a bit).
This may be potentially dangerous to your health if you continually vape at extremely high wattage levels using an advanced vape mod – one that lets you manually adjust the device’s temperature, and one that is devoid of any safety features.
If the wattage is set too high for the atomizer coils, they can’t handle the resistance so, they start to burn. As a result, formaldehyde hemiacetals are released.
Vapers do not tolerate this type of vaping, in fact, the taste is so horrible, they never vape at extremely high temperatures which produce what’s called “Dry Hits”. Here’s a popular chart used by advanced vapers to avoid burning their throats and their atomizers.
Cranking up the wattage on your advanced vapor product isn’t the only way to get a “dry hit”.
If you continue to vape when the e-liquid in your tank runs out, the wick will overheat and, you’ll get a nasty taste in your mouth signaling that “incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons”. You won’t get any vapor; just air that tastes like burnt socks.
This can easily be avoided if you keep your e-liquid topped up, or change your disposable cartridge when it’s empty or starts to taste a bit burnt.
Beginner & Intermediate E-Cigarettes & Vaping Devices That Perform at Safe Temperatures
On mobile devices, the chart can be scrolled horizontally as well as vertically
If you’re an advanced vaper and prefer setting your own “safe” temperature, you can buy a “Temperature Control” (TC) vaporizer. It will never go above the temperature you set and, you’ll never get a dry hit, a burnt taste or any dangerous gases.
Does Formaldehyde Cause Cancer?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed formaldehyde as a probable or known carcinogen “under conditions of unusually high or prolonged exposure”.
Dr. Konstantin E. Farsalinos, one of the world’s leading experts on vaping studies, said the most recent formaldehyde vaping scare was “a political campaign with no scientific content”.
Dr. Farsalinos conducts replicate tests which recreate the results of negative vaping studies. He regularly shares those results with world health agencies, including the FDA, with the intention of spreading scientifically sound information.
Here’s what he had to say about recent research studies into formaldehyde and hemiacetals in vapor products, including e-liquids.
Despite the uproar from the pro-vaping scientific community, many smokers and current vapers are wondering whether vaping is dangerous.
Here’s a chart that compares formaldehyde in ecigarettes, with the tobacco cigarettes. It was created by Philip Morris International, the world’s largest tobacco company.
All e-cigarettes emit minute amounts of formaldehyde per puff, but it is so minute that it cannot be deemed toxic. There have been near equal levels found in kindergarten rooms. The level is dramatically higher in tobacco cigarettes.
Here’s another interesting statistic from the World Health Organization
Some e-liquids were found to contain minute levels of carbonyls; specifically diacetyl, acetoin, or acetyl propionyl. Reputable e-liquid manufacturers no longer use these flavor enhancers. Also, if you are vaping at normal temperatures, (as the Farsalinos study indicates) your ejuice will not produce formaldehyde.
Remember, for every scary headline, there are scores of reputable scientists and researchers who have debunked it.
6 comments
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Thanks Ms Miles… what’s considered a normal temperature?
Author
Hi K.
It depends on the coil you are using. The Safe Vaping Power chart, within the post, can be used if you are vaping a device that lets you adjust the voltage. First, find your coil’s OHMS/Resistance level. Then look across that line to find the safe voltage. For example, if your atomizer/coil is 2.4 ohm, you can set the voltage between 4.0 to 4.5 volts. Adjusting the wattage up or down changes your throat hit, cloud productions and flavor intensity. If you set it too high, you’ll get a hot vape and a burnt taste. Thanks for commenting!
Thanks this actually helps cause I was reading the vape juice label and it stated that the vape juice may expose you to formaldehyde which can cause cancer.
Author
Hi Zach,
Thanks for commenting here. As I mentioned in the post “if you are vaping at normal temperatures, (as the Farsalinos study indicates) your ejuice will not produce formaldehyde.”
That doesn’t answer the question if we can buy some form of ejuice without the possibility of it converting to Formaldehyde.
Author
Hi Adam,
Sorry this was not clear. Formaldehyde is only formed in both e-liquids and coils if you vape at extremely high temperatures where the taste of your vapor is so horrible it’s untolerable. No one vapes at the temperatures suggested in “junk science” reports. Hope this helps!