There's been a lot of buzz lately in the vaping community about the importance of vendors behaving responsibly and making sure that the nicotine liquids that we supply be of known (scientifically proven) concentration and purity. I see this as a very good thing and a definite call to action. A call that I, as a supplier, fully intend to answer. I hope that more suppliers will join me.
A GC/MS analysis to determine strength and purity of a nicotine solution typically costs in the neighborhood of $1400 - $2000 per sample, if you can even find a lab that can perform the test. I am currently in negotiations with a lab, located here in the US, and may be able to bring that cost down to under $200 per sample (possibly lower).
In order to get the price down to that level, I will need to collect samples from suppliers and send them in as a single shipment. The biggest cost of performing the test is the machine set up and calibration. Once the machine is ready, many samples can be run through quickly and efficiently. There's practically no more effort to run 20 samples than is required to run a single sample. So, if the lab gets all of the samples in one shipment, the machine is set and calibrated one time and all samples are run through. The cost is then amortized over the number of samples that were processed. The more vendors that supply me with samples for a shipment, the lower the cost.
It is not necessary for a supplier to process every strength and flavor of e-juice on the menu. It is only really necessary to test the base liquid that is supplied to you, from which you then create your product line. You know what you're putting in your product; it's imperitive that you know what you're starting with. Once that's tested, it may be a good idea to do some spot-checking in the product that you mix-down from your base liquid, just to ensure purity of the VG/PG that you use and that your mixing process is giving you the concentration that you expect.
NOTE: Every supplier that participates will receive a nondisclosure agreement from the lab and the results of your test(s) will be mailed directly to you. Neither I, nor anyone else, will see your test results, unless you decide to make them public.
For now, DO NOT SEND ME SAMPLES
This is a trial balloon to see how many vendors are interested in participating.
VENDORS - Your Action Item is to let me know that you are interested in participating. If there is enough interest, I will continue negotiations with the lab and finalize the details. You can let me know that you're interested by sending me your email address via PM or by emailing me at this address:
gary(AT)lonewolfe-smokes(DOT)com
Make the appropriate substitution for (AT) and (DOT).
Alternatively, you can click on the sig at the bottom of this thread to go to my website and click on "Contact Us"
For all who are interested, I will send you an email to give full details on how/when to send me your samples (3 ml).
CONSUMERS - Your Action Item is to contact every vendor that you do business with and let them know that you want them to participate. You can send them a link to this thread or you can copy the entire thread and send it in an email. Let them know that it is they who are responsible for living up to the faith you place in them with every bottle of e-juice that you purchase. As the Komen Foundation recently found out, it is the public interest that is the ultimate "tail that wags the dog." BTW, participation is not limited to suppliers. If you, as a consumer, want to have samples checked for purity/concentration, you are welcome to join as well. Contact me with your email address for details.
EVERYONE - Comment on this thread to let me, and others, know how you feel about this and to help keep it bumped to the top.
A GC/MS analysis to determine strength and purity of a nicotine solution typically costs in the neighborhood of $1400 - $2000 per sample, if you can even find a lab that can perform the test. I am currently in negotiations with a lab, located here in the US, and may be able to bring that cost down to under $200 per sample (possibly lower).
In order to get the price down to that level, I will need to collect samples from suppliers and send them in as a single shipment. The biggest cost of performing the test is the machine set up and calibration. Once the machine is ready, many samples can be run through quickly and efficiently. There's practically no more effort to run 20 samples than is required to run a single sample. So, if the lab gets all of the samples in one shipment, the machine is set and calibrated one time and all samples are run through. The cost is then amortized over the number of samples that were processed. The more vendors that supply me with samples for a shipment, the lower the cost.
It is not necessary for a supplier to process every strength and flavor of e-juice on the menu. It is only really necessary to test the base liquid that is supplied to you, from which you then create your product line. You know what you're putting in your product; it's imperitive that you know what you're starting with. Once that's tested, it may be a good idea to do some spot-checking in the product that you mix-down from your base liquid, just to ensure purity of the VG/PG that you use and that your mixing process is giving you the concentration that you expect.
NOTE: Every supplier that participates will receive a nondisclosure agreement from the lab and the results of your test(s) will be mailed directly to you. Neither I, nor anyone else, will see your test results, unless you decide to make them public.
For now, DO NOT SEND ME SAMPLES
This is a trial balloon to see how many vendors are interested in participating.
VENDORS - Your Action Item is to let me know that you are interested in participating. If there is enough interest, I will continue negotiations with the lab and finalize the details. You can let me know that you're interested by sending me your email address via PM or by emailing me at this address:
gary(AT)lonewolfe-smokes(DOT)com
Make the appropriate substitution for (AT) and (DOT).
Alternatively, you can click on the sig at the bottom of this thread to go to my website and click on "Contact Us"
For all who are interested, I will send you an email to give full details on how/when to send me your samples (3 ml).
CONSUMERS - Your Action Item is to contact every vendor that you do business with and let them know that you want them to participate. You can send them a link to this thread or you can copy the entire thread and send it in an email. Let them know that it is they who are responsible for living up to the faith you place in them with every bottle of e-juice that you purchase. As the Komen Foundation recently found out, it is the public interest that is the ultimate "tail that wags the dog." BTW, participation is not limited to suppliers. If you, as a consumer, want to have samples checked for purity/concentration, you are welcome to join as well. Contact me with your email address for details.
EVERYONE - Comment on this thread to let me, and others, know how you feel about this and to help keep it bumped to the top.
