Troutt William D, DiDonato Matthew D
Medical Marijuana Research Institute , Tempe, AZ.
J Altern Complement Med. 2017 Nov;23(11):879-884. doi: 10.1089/acm.2016.0337. Epub 2017 Mar 29.
Cannabis use has increased in the United States, particularly the use of vaporized cannabis oil, which is often mixed with thinning agents for use in vaporizing devices. E-cigarette research shows that heated thinning agents produce potentially harmful carbonyls; however, similar studies have not been conducted (1) with agents that are commonly used in the cannabis industry and (2) at temperatures that are appropriate for cannabis oil vaporization. The goal of this study was to determine whether thinning agents used in the cannabis industry produce potentially harmful carbonyls when heated to a temperature that is appropriate for cannabis oil vaporization.
Four thinning agents (propylene glycol [PG], vegetable glycerin [VG], polyethylene glycol 400 [PEG 400], and medium chain triglycerides [MCT]) were heated to 230°C and the resulting vapors were tested for acetaldehyde, acrolein, and formaldehyde. Each agent was tested three times.
SETTING/LOCATION: Testing was conducted in a smoking laboratory.
Carbonyl levels were measured in micrograms per puff block.
Analyses showed that PEG 400 produced significantly higher levels of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde than PG, MCT, and VG. Formaldehyde production was also significantly greater in PG compared with MCT and VG. Acrolein production did not differ significantly across the agents.
PG and PEG 400 produced high levels of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde when heated to 230°C. Formaldehyde production from PEG 400 isolate was particularly high, with one inhalation accounting for 1.12% of the daily exposure limit, nearly the same exposure as smoking one cigarette. Because PG and PEG 400 are often mixed with cannabis oil, individuals who vaporize cannabis oil products may risk exposure to harmful formaldehyde levels. Although more research is needed, consumers and policy makers should consider these potential health effects before use and when drafting cannabis-related legislation.
大麻在美国的使用量有所增加，尤其是雾化大麻油的使用，这种油通常与稀释剂混合后用于雾化设备。电子烟研究表明，加热稀释剂会产生潜在有害的羰基化合物；然而，尚未针对（1）大麻行业常用的稀释剂以及（2）适合大麻油气化的温度开展类似研究。本研究的目的是确定大麻行业使用的稀释剂在加热至适合大麻油气化的温度时是否会产生潜在有害的羰基化合物。
将四种稀释剂（丙二醇[PG]、蔬菜甘油[VG]、聚乙二醇400[PEG 400]和中链甘油三酯[MCT]）加热至230°C，并对产生的蒸汽进行乙醛、丙烯醛和甲醛检测。每种稀释剂测试三次。
在吸烟实验室进行测试。
以每口吸量块中羰基的微克数来测量羰基水平。
分析表明，PEG 400产生的乙醛和甲醛水平显著高于PG、MCT和VG。与MCT和VG相比，PG产生的甲醛量也显著更高。各稀释剂产生的丙烯醛量无显著差异。
PG和PEG 400在加热至230°C时会产生高水平的乙醛和甲醛。PEG 400分离物产生的甲醛量特别高，一次吸入量占每日暴露限值的1.12%，几乎与吸一支烟的暴露量相同。由于PG和PEG 400常与大麻油混合，雾化大麻油产品的个体可能面临接触有害甲醛水平的风险。尽管还需要更多研究，但消费者和政策制定者在使用前以及起草与大麻相关的立法时应考虑这些潜在的健康影响。
