Vape ShopWorkerExposureStudy

KathleenAttfield,ScDDivisionofEnvironmentalandOccupationalDiseaseControl

CaliforniaDepartmentofPublicHealth

ExpandingResearchPartnershipsConferenceJune22,2017

Whyanoccupationalinterestine-cigarettes?

Image from Yelp websiteNot a study site

Whyanoccupationalhealthinterestine-cigarettes?

• 2casesofworkplaceasthmaexacerbationreported

• PreviousCAstudiesondiacetyl-exposedflavoringworkersandlungdisease

• InvitationtojoinNIOSHonvape shopinvestigationinNewJersey

Diacetyl

What’sthehealthconcern?• E-liquidscontain:

– Nicotine– Flavorings– Carriersolvents(glycerinandpropyleneglycol)

• Emissionsnot“justwatervapor”– Thermalbreakdownproductsincludeformaldehydeandotheraldehydes

– Diacetyl&2,3-pentanediolofteninliquids– Untestedflavorchemicals–Metals

What’sthehealthconcern?

• Nicotinepoisoningviaskincontact

• Untilrecently,completelyunregulatedproducts

• Lackoffieldstudies

Studyquestions

• Currentworkplaceconditionsinvapeshops?

• Airandsurfaceconcentrationsofchemicals?

• Doworkersexperiencesymptoms?

• Whatdoemployersandemployeesknowaboutworkplacerisks?

• Whatcanbedonetoimprovehealthandsafety?

106 vape shops in SF Bay Area

Identifyingpotentialstudyparticipants

Prioritiesforselectingshops• Rangeofshopsizes

• Geographicdiversityin9-countySFBayArea

• Highnumberofcustomersperweek

• Socializing/hang-outarea

• Mixinge-liquidsonsite

Recruitmentofshops• In-personvisits,often

multiple

• Individualandshopsamplingresults

• Customizedhealthandsafetyrecommendations

• Overallfindings

• 6additionalshopsforinterviews

Investigations

Sixall-dayon-siteinvestigationsinpartnershipwithNIOSHbetweenNov.2016andFeb.2017

• Observationsofworkpracticesandconditions• Interviewswithemployersandemployees• Chemicalsampling

Chemicalsampling

• Airsampling– Formaldehydeandotherthermaldegradationproducts

– Butteryflavors:diacetyl,2,3-pentanedione

– VOCs– Nicotine– Carriersolvents– Particulates

• Dustwipesamplingformetals

• Bulke-liquids

Atypicalvapeshop

Shopcharacteristics

• Ofteninstripmallsadjacenttoothersmallbusinesses

• 1-5employeesperday• Hazyconditionsthenorm• Only3hadHVAC,2usedit

– Opendoors,fansalsoused

Exposuresources

• Allworkersvapedduringtheirshifts,creatingmuchofthehaze

• ~25%ofcustomersvapedinstore

• 32-91customers/day

Shopactivities• Customerssampledproductsatmostshops

• Employeesmostlydidnotbuild coilsorfixdevices

• 1shopmixedanddispensedcustomizedproducts

Employeeinterviews

• 13/16reportedvapingmoreatwork– Samplednewflavors– Createdwelcomingenvironment

• 4/6shopstrainedonnicotinesafetybutnototherchemicalhazards

• Nonereportedsymptoms,exceptperceivedimprovementsfromreducingtobaccosmoking

• Concerns:batterysafety,e-liquidingredients

Chemicalsamplingresults(Preliminary)

Breakdownproducts(Preliminary)

• Formaldehydeconcentrations~RELof16ppb– Afewexceeding– Concentrations@RELcommonforindoorair

• Acetaldehydedetectedinsomefull-shiftpersonalsamples

• Noglycidol detectedinareasamples

Nicotine(Preliminary)

• Detectedinsomeareasamples– AlwayswellbelowPELof75ppb

Butteryflavors(Preliminary)

E-liquids• Diacetyldetectedinmajority• 2,3-Pentanedionedetectedin~25%

Diacetyl

2,3-Pentanedione

2,3-Hexanedione

Acetoin

Butteryflavors(Preliminary)

Personalsamples• Diacetyldetectedinsomeatlevels<REL

• 2,3-Pentanedionedetectedinsome– OnesampleexceededtheREL

• 2,3-Hexanedionenotdetected

• Acetoindetectedinsome

Diacetyl

2,3-Pentanedione

2,3-Hexanedione

Acetoin

Butteryflavors(Preliminary)

Tasksample– mixing(19min)• 2,3-pentanedioneconcentrationsseveraltimes>REL

• Acetoinalsodetected.

Diacetyl

2,3-Pentanedione

2,3-Hexanedione

Acetoin

Otherflavoringsandimpurities

• Otherflavorchemicalsdetected– Benzaldehyde– Cinnamaldehyde– d-Limonene– 79more…

• Alsoimpurities:methylenechlorideusedincinnamonextraction

Metalsonsurfaces

• Numerousmetalsdetected• Highersurfaceconcentrationsfoundon“buildbars”

Healthandsafetyconsiderations• DevelopInjuryandIllnessPreventionPlans

– HazardCommunication• Improveventilation• UseglovesandotherPPE• Institutecleaningprotocols• Requestinformationone-liquidingredients

Acknowledgements

CDPHDEODC

• BarbaraMaterna• RickKreutzer• MarleyZalay• JeffFowles• KazukiyoKumagai• PingWang• WenhaoChen• JustineWeinberg

NIOSH• LenZwack• RyanLebouf• EricGlassford• StephenJackson

Participatingvape shopownersandemployees

Thank you for your interest!Questions?

Kathleen Attfield, ScDKathleen.attfield@cdph.ca.govCalifornia Dept. of Public HealthDivision of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control