Chemistry question for a layman: Which is safer for health, silica wick vs cotton wick?

[DC2]

I had a similar question a few months back and found an excellent discussion about silica and the dangers (or lack of) associated with it.

I believe this is the thread you are looking for...
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/health-safety-e-smoking/377764-dangers-silica-wicks.html

 

[AttyPops]

Short answer: Tell ya in about 20 years or so.

(We really don't know. I use both. Also SS mesh sometimes).

 

[dice57]

the main concern with silica is that I produces silica needles that can lodge in the lungs when inhaled.

 

[PLANofMAN]

Welcome to the forum Va4rizor, great question. I suppose the short answer is that we don't really know as there is are no long term studies for either.

But I will say that silica wicks (for the most part) are impossible to burn at the temperatures we use - if you want proof, take a bic lighter to some silica and see. So long as you keep your cotton moist, it won't burn either.

I had a similar question a few months back and found an excellent discussion about silica and the dangers (or lack of) associated with it. Let me see if I can find it.

EDIT - This is a much older thread but I can't find the discussion I was looking for. It's 11 pages, some of it is silly bickering to be honest, but there is some good information in there.
This has been a question asked a lot on the forums and I suppose the answer is, we don't know if vaping in general is as safe as we may think - although all initial indications are that it is - and so that would include the long term safety of the wicking materials we are using.

As anything else, I highly suggest you do some research and then make your own informed decision at your own risk ( I suppose you started it by asking this question )

Finally there is a medical-research forum right here in ECF that you can look at. I think you'll need 15 posts before you can actually post in there, but you can review the articles.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/health-safety-e-smoking/377764-dangers-silica-wicks.html This the thread you were looking for? Specifically posts #63, #70, and #71.