My take on PGA

[Mike306]

I wasn't sure if this should go under General, DIY, or reviews, so I just plopped it here. Feel free to move it.

After a few positive reviews on PGA mixed with e-liquids as a means of increasing TH, I decided to get some.

I just purchased a bottle of 190 Proof Everclear. Though not a great scientific setup, I figured I'd document my findings and continue to research further.

PV = Joye 306 unmodded, clean atty
e-juice = 50/50 PGA and VG (unflavored)

Findings: no increased TH whatsoever. Vapor was much warmer than usual. Added a couple drops of additional PGA and the results were the same.

Conclusion: perhaps the added heat of the vapor, when vaped with >0 nic juice contributes to more of an analog feel, since cigarette smoke is usually warm.

Hypothesis for future research: Adding PGA to a +nic juice contributes to a more immediate absorbtion of nicotine, thereby increasing TH.

Future experiment setup: two equal +nic juices, one with PGA and one without. Test for TH in a blind study.

Anyway, I've heard that PGA is also great for cleaning components, so I'm not upset about spending $6 on a bottle of Everclear.

Worst case scenario, I make a small batch of fruit mash.

Mike

 

[googled]

I think it's primary purpose is to thin VG instead of using distilled water with added throat-hit being a bonus. I've added small amounts of gin to my own juices when I was experimenting with 0 nic and the throat hit did increase.. could be down to other factors as you mentioned as well though.

 

[DenniZ]

First off, I'm not sure if by "50/50 PGA and VG unflavored" you meant 0mg nic as well.
If this isn't the case and you have experimented with differing concentrations of nic, please disregard the following.

I came across a thread here at ECF some time ago but can't quite locate it again. I believe that it was a discussion on how PGA changes the pH of the overall solution. If I remember correctly, it was hypothesized that the change in pH effected the way nicotine is absorbed, specifically the speed of absorption. Maybe this is a reason for an increase in TH. A week or so ago I was reading on how some people vaped 100mg/ml nic straight up so I tried 50mg a few times and it had a vicious TH and gave me a headache lol. Anyway it's just a theory, maybe you'd like to put it to the test with a nicotine solution of you own.

 

[Mike306]

First off, I'm not sure if by "50/50 PGA and VG unflavored" you meant 0mg nic as well.

Yup. It was just pure VG from Whole Foods.

In other words, I just wanted to see what the physical impact of inhaled PGA vapor was. My results were simply that the vapor was much warmer than with PG or VG alone. There was no increase in TH. The reason I wanted to experiment with this was because PGA has been recommended to those who have 0nic juice and still want TH. My conclusion is that PGA will not be an adequate solution to this problem.

The notion that pH impacts nic absorbtion is an interesting one, however alcohol is slightly acidic with a pH around 5 or 6 (the human mouth is less acidic still), and nicotine absorbtion actually decreases with increased acidity, so I'm not sure how this could aid in absorbtion.

I tried a cursory experiment of just throwing a few drops into a 12mg juice and I did not notice an increase in TH. But I had no control set up, so it was purely anecdotal and subjective.

Anyhow...all in the name of science!

Mike

 

[DenniZ]

Lol, I like your methodology Mike, has a hint of Edward Jenner in it.
Your reasoning appears to be sound as well, I did a little searching and from what I read alkaline solutions do increase nic. absorption. The only thing I found on the pH of PGA was a stupid "Yahoo Answers" question and it said a ethanol is neutral. I wish I still had some Litmus paper so I could start sampling PG, and VG to see what pH they are at differing Nic levels, if nicotine doesn't turn out to be neutral too.
Anyway thanks for doing the leg-work for all of us!
-Dee

 

[jude8753]

Mike306 thanks for pointing me to this thread. I have already used the PGA as a disinfectant and will use it to thin down my VG when I do some more mixing. I like warmer vapor so that will be great even if it doesn't give me a TH.