Harvard Study of diacetyl, 2’3-pentanedione, and acetoin in e-Cigarettes

Pioneering NIOSH studies on the risk of the severe lung disease obliterative bronchiolitis associated with occupational exposures to flavorings were noted in a recent report by scientists at Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The scientists analyzed 51 types of flavored e-cigarettes for the flavorings diacetyl, 2'3-pentanedione, and acetoin. Their study, posted on December 8, 2015, by Environmental Health Perspectives ahead of publication, showed that 47 of the 51 products contained at least one of the three chemicals. "Due to the associations between diacetyl, bronchiolitis obliterans, and other severe respiratory diseases observed in workers, urgent action is recommended to further evaluate this potentially widespread exposure via flavored e-cigarettes," the Harvard scientists recommended. NIOSH's findings and recommendations on reducing the risk of obliterative bronchiolitis associated with occupational exposures to flavorings are available on its flavorings topic page.