TY - JOUR
T1 - Identification of flavouring substances of genotoxic concern present in e-cigarette refills
AU - Barhdadi, Sophia
AU - Mertens, Birgit
AU - Van Bossuyt, Melissa
AU - Maele, Jolien Van De
AU - Anthonissen, Roel
AU - Canfyn, Michael
AU - Courselle, Patricia
AU - Rogiers, Vera
AU - Deconinck, Eric
AU - Vanhaecke, Tamara
N1 - Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/1
Y1 - 2021/1
N2 - E-cigarettes have become very popular, a trend that has been stimulated by the wide variety of available e-liquid flavours. Considering the large number of e-liquid flavours (> 7000), there is an urgent need to establish a screening strategy to prioritize the flavouring substances of highest concern for human health. In the present study, a prioritization strategy combining analytical screening, in silico tools and literature data was developed to identify potentially genotoxic e-liquid flavourings. Based on the analysis of 129 e-liquids collected on the Belgian market, 60 flavourings with positive in silico predictions for genotoxicity were identified. By using literature data, genotoxicity was excluded for 33 of them whereas for 5, i.e. estragole, safrole, 2-furylmethylketon, 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxyl-3(2H)-furanone and transhexanal, there was a clear concern for in vivo genotoxicity. A selection of 4 out of the remaining 22 flavourings was tested in two in vitro genotoxicity assays. Three out of the four tested flavourings induced gene mutations and chromosome damage in vitro, whereas equivocal results were obtained for the fourth compound. Thus, although there is a legislative framework which excludes the use of CMR compounds in e-liquids, flavourings of genotoxic concern are present and might pose a health risk for e-cigarette users.
AB - E-cigarettes have become very popular, a trend that has been stimulated by the wide variety of available e-liquid flavours. Considering the large number of e-liquid flavours (> 7000), there is an urgent need to establish a screening strategy to prioritize the flavouring substances of highest concern for human health. In the present study, a prioritization strategy combining analytical screening, in silico tools and literature data was developed to identify potentially genotoxic e-liquid flavourings. Based on the analysis of 129 e-liquids collected on the Belgian market, 60 flavourings with positive in silico predictions for genotoxicity were identified. By using literature data, genotoxicity was excluded for 33 of them whereas for 5, i.e. estragole, safrole, 2-furylmethylketon, 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxyl-3(2H)-furanone and transhexanal, there was a clear concern for in vivo genotoxicity. A selection of 4 out of the remaining 22 flavourings was tested in two in vitro genotoxicity assays. Three out of the four tested flavourings induced gene mutations and chromosome damage in vitro, whereas equivocal results were obtained for the fourth compound. Thus, although there is a legislative framework which excludes the use of CMR compounds in e-liquids, flavourings of genotoxic concern are present and might pose a health risk for e-cigarette users.
KW - (Q)SAR methodologies
KW - Genotoxicity
KW - e-cigarettes
KW - mutagenicity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096849660&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111864
DO - 10.1016/j.fct.2020.111864
M3 - Article
C2 - 33217530
VL - 147
JO - Food and Chemical Toxicology
JF - Food and Chemical Toxicology
SN - 0278-6915
M1 - 111864
ER -