Vaping ... Shields Up!

[Slim Batz]

Hi,
In my initial research on vaping, I read some literature on PG vapor and its properties as an atmospheric sterilant, that it kills airborne strep, staph, and pneumonia bacteria as well and Influenza virus. I believe it was this property that sparked one of the few actual studies I could find on the longer term affects of exposure to PG vapor ...

The safety of propylene glycol (PG) when inhaled through an electronic cigarette. Studies on the effect of the inhalation of propylene glycol through a personal vaporizer.

Anyway ... now I find that if I'm exposed to someone who is sick and coughing, all I can think about is stealing away and vaping, making sure to inhale deeply and exhale through my nose to sterilize my respiratory tract. Maybe I'm deluding myself, but it does have a positive psychological affect on me. What do you all think ... am I nuts?

 

[elfstone]

The best thing you can do to protect yourself, really, is to stay away from analogs Smoking depresses the immune system in many ways, including by paralyzing cilia in your bronchi which otherwise naturally defend you. So, yeah, PG aside, you're safer from URIs just because you don't smoke

 

[vapxtream]

LOL no not by any means. The prof is in the pudding. When i was smoking i would always get sick with the temp changes in canada. And i have been vaping for over a month now and the temp changes here have been crazy. Its gone from snow the t shirts 3 or 4 times in the last few weeks. plus i work outside all day. and i have noticed that i havent had a cold yet. Both my kids have been sick twice the past few weeks.

 

[jj2]

Been a firm believer of this for a loooonnnngggg time.

 

[rolygate]

Some analyses of e-cigarette vapor show PG present at around 3% when used as the main carrier material in the liquid, that is, the bulk ingredient. The mist we inhale is mainly water.

All sorts of trials have have shown that PG is a powerful virucide when dispersed in the atmosphere as an aerosol at strengths of down to 1 part per 2 million, that is, 0.5 ppm. So inhaling a comparatively large amount might possibly be of help in defending against pathogens already lodged in the mouth, throat, lungs and nasal tract - but such an effect would need to be demonstrated in trials. We can be reasonably sure it works very efficiently as an aerosol since so many trials show this effect, but the effect is not demonstrated when used as an occasional inhalant. Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest so, but it may simply be wishful thinking. There is also a confounder present: the cessation of inhalation of cigarette smoke is likely to be beneficial to health in different ways.

It is interesting to note how successful the hospital trials were, and then to attempt to answer the question of why this was not taken further. I believe that this may be the answer:

----------
Several years ago, outbreaks of Legionnaire's Disease seem to have been frequently reported, due to the contamination of the water cooling machinery in the air conditioning systems in large buildings such as hotels, convention centers and perhaps even hospitals. For a time, several different solutions were tried, extensive cleaning by draining-down and disinfecting seemed to have been the usual methods employed.

Now, however, PG (propylene glycol) is used as the principal additive in these water cooling systems, due to its various properties, and the problem seems to have been solved.

PG has these properties:
- Powerful bactericide
- Powerful virucide
- Very low freezing point, and therefore an effective anti-freeze
- High boiling point, unlikely to be lost by heating of the aqueous host
- Non-toxic in all applications including inhalation and injection - considered inert in most applications
- Comparatively cheap compared to other suitable materials
- Long-lasting, does not degrade rapidly, has an extended service life
- Disinfects both liquid and air hosts
- Easily converted into aerosol form (we will not discuss the various definitions of types of 'mist' here)

Since it has been shown that pathogens in the water system are transmitted into the breathable airspace of these large buildings, it is not unreasonable to assume that chemical additives in the water will also be air-transmitted, especially when they are known to be effectively converted to aerosols.

It therefore seems likely that the airspace of large buildings such as hospitals and hotels that use the standard treatments for prevention of Legionnaire's Disease, which are usually based around PG or similar additives, will be found to have low values of PG in the air. PG kills airborne pathogens when it is present in extremely low concentrations (parts per billion), indeed at values that would seem to be impossible for efficacy.

We may therefore have seen PG introduced into the atmosphere of large buildings by a non-deliberate route.

----------
I have not seen this hypothesis elsewhere and would welcome criticism.

 

[Water 4 Fuel]

Some analyses of e-cigarette vapor show PG present at around 3% when used as the main carrier material in the liquid, that is, the bulk ingredient. The mist we inhale is mainly water.

All sorts of trials have have shown that PG is a powerful virucide when dispersed in the atmosphere as an aerosol at strengths of down to 1 part per 2 million, that is, 0.5 ppm. So inhaling a comparatively large amount might possibly be of help in defending against pathogens already lodged in the mouth, throat, lungs and nasal tract - but such an effect would need to be demonstrated in trials. We can be reasonably sure it works very efficiently as an aerosol since so many trials show this effect, but the effect is not demonstrated when used as an occasional inhalant. Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest so, but it may simply be wishful thinking. There is also a confounder present: the cessation of inhalation of cigarette smoke is likely to be beneficial to health in different ways.

It is interesting to note how successful the hospital trials were, and then to attempt to answer the question of why this was not taken further. I believe that this may be the answer:

----------
Several years ago, outbreaks of Legionnaire's Disease seem to have been frequently reported, due to the contamination of the water cooling machinery in the air conditioning systems in large buildings such as hotels, convention centers and perhaps even hospitals. For a time, several different solutions were tried, extensive cleaning by draining-down and disinfecting seemed to have been the usual methods employed.

Now, however, PG (propylene glycol) is used as the principal additive in these water cooling systems, due to its various properties, and the problem seems to have been solved.

PG has these properties:
- Powerful bactericide
- Powerful virucide
- Very low freezing point, and therefore an effective anti-freeze
- High boiling point, unlikely to be lost by heating of the aqueous host
- Non-toxic in all applications including inhalation and injection - considered inert in most applications
- Comparatively cheap compared to other suitable materials
- Long-lasting, does not degrade rapidly, has an extended service life
- Disinfects both liquid and air hosts
- Easily converted into aerosol form (we will not discuss the various definitions of types of 'mist' here)

Since it has been shown that pathogens in the water system are transmitted into the breathable airspace of these large buildings, it is not unreasonable to assume that chemical additives in the water will also be air-transmitted, especially when they are known to be effectively converted to aerosols.

It therefore seems likely that the airspace of large buildings such as hospitals and hotels that use the standard treatments for prevention of Legionnaire's Disease, which are usually based around PG or similar additives, will be found to have low values of PG in the air. PG kills airborne pathogens when it is present in extremely low concentrations (parts per billion), indeed at values that would seem to be impossible for efficacy.

We may therefore have seen PG introduced into the atmosphere of large buildings by a non-deliberate route.

----------
I have not seen this hypothesis elsewhere and would welcome criticism.

The only reason I'm reply to this post is: I had Legionaire's about 8 or 10 yrs ago. I was in the hospital a eek or 10 days.
It was the worst medical issue I've ever had (including needing Kidney Stones blown out twice). I woke up on a Sunday morning filling a little Crappy and stated willing worse as the morning went on. I called my Dr. to see if he could call in a prescription of some sort for me. He told me,he didn't know what was wrong with me and to come in Monday morning,but if necessary go to the ER. I just went downhill faster and faster. So, I had my wife take me to the ER around 11 or 11:30. I had only been up a few hours. She drove me to the hospital (maybe 5 mins) and it was all I could do,to walk through the door.
I hurt everywhere through out my body. They gave me shot after shot of Morphine and did nothing for the pain. I was totally screwed up from the Morphine,but it didn't even begin to help with the pain. (Sorry,not trying to use drug talk,just facts.
I had people come from everywhere to look at me,as it is such a rare disease. They never figured out where I got it and no one else came down with it.

 

[rolygate]

That sounds bad. I'm glad you survived it, some don't.

It seems far less common now, even rare. There was a case of an outbreak in Spain this week, I think, in a hotel in a resort. By and large the addition of PG and similar additives to the water systems seems to have fixed the problem.

 

[Water 4 Fuel]

That sounds bad. I'm glad you survived it, some don't.

It seems far less common now, even rare. There was a case of an outbreak in Spain this week, I think, in a hotel in a resort. By and large the addition of PG and similar additives to the water systems seems to have fixed the problem.

Actually, I haven't strated using E Cigs yet. I've been smoking 40 yrs and started researching E Cigs a couple months ago.
I was going to go with V2 or the Halo G6. But kept doing my research aaaand got it down to Bloog or the Volt. A lot of people kept telling me to go with the Ego,but I relly didn't want a bid fat one. So, I was about to order the Volt,when I found the Buzz Pro and Infinity Pro about a week ago. So, I started reasearching them. I found nothing but Rave Reviews from everyone.
SO, today I posted:asking if they were too much for a 1st timer. Almost everyone says it a great choice and will reduce my learning curve. I've smoked for 40 years so waiting a few more weeks,isn't going to change much.

 

[elfstone]

Good luck! I started with V2 and quickly bought an Ego style. I don't know much about Infinity / Buzz, and I haven't vaped variable voltage yet, but of one thing I'm sure: you have to have at least two working devices around. A common piece of advice veterans give on this forum is "have a backup for your backups"

 

[VapourMonkey]

The only reason I'm reply to this post is: I had Legionaire's about 8 or 10 yrs ago. I was in the hospital a eek or 10 days.......

I had the same thing happen in the 1980s in England. I was a fit 17 year old but it wiped me out for nearly two weeks. Nasty!

 

[stahrman]

Heck....I thought I was being safe with the 100% VG that I'm currently using??? Who would've thought that the PG is better??? LOL.

 

[Kay1959]

This is very informative and just kinda seals the deal for me and ecigs! Thanks for sharing!!

 

[Water 4 Fuel]

I had the same thing happen in the 1980s in England. I was a fit 17 year old but it wiped me out for nearly two weeks. Nasty!

Sorry you had it to. It really does SUCK alot !!!!
The pain was constant and nothing would relieve it. As I said they just kept giving me more and more Morphine and it didn't even start to ease the pain. after a day or 2, they gave a very small round blue pill. The nurse told me ,not to chew it or I would O.D.. It was the only thing that worked. I don't know what it was,other than it was GREAT !!!

 

[Water 4 Fuel]

Good luck! I started with V2 and quickly bought an Ego style. I don't know much about Infinity / Buzz, and I haven't vaped variable voltage yet, but of one thing I'm sure: you have to have at least two working devices around. A common piece of advice veterans give on this forum is "have a backup for your backups"

Yes I had planned to have a back up,but thnx for that.
I'll get my Infinity and than buy the Volt as my back up and possibly use when I'm "Out and About"