Buying an air purifier for vaping

The use of electronic cigarettes (also referred to as e-cigarettes or vapes) has exploded within the past five years. In 2020, it was estimated that there were 68 million global users of e-cigarettes. The following year, in 2021, the number had jumped to 81 million global users and had reached 86 million global users by 2023¹. More than 70% of e-cigarette users are located in Europe and North America². Like regular cigarette smoke, vape smoke has adverse effects on both health and air quality. How can an air purifier for vaping help protect you from its dangers? Read on to learn more.

The link between air quality and vape smoke

The components of vape smoke

E-cigarettes are heavily marketed as a ‘safer’ alternative to traditional cigarettes. Available in appealing colours and flavours, e-cigarettes are particularly popular amongst youth. Due to the fact that they are widely perceived to be safer than combustion cigarettes, e-cigarettes are much more commonly used in indoor spaces like homes, vehicles, restaurants and bars, and offices. Problematically, it is estimated that more than 70% of inhaled e-cigarette aerosols will be exhaled second-hand, posing particular danger to vulnerable populations (pregnant women, children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals). Second-hand vaping exposure is likely higher than that induced by regular cigarettes³.

Source²

Vape smoke is a complex mixture of indoor air contaminants. Some particles emitted when vape smoke is exhaled include:

• Particulate matter (PM2.5)
• Using e-cigarettes indoors leads to PM2.5 concentrations of up to 1,121 μg/m3, 45 times higher than the WHO’s recommended daily limit of 25 μg/m3
• The typical level of PM2.5 caused by indoor e-cigarette use is 150 μg/m3, about the same as regular cigarettes²
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• Formaldehyde, acrolein, diacetyl, and acetaldehyde are a few
• Heavy metals like arsenic, mercury, lead, chromium, and nickel (the two latter being categorised as ‘inhalation carcinogens’)
• Nicotine
• Trace amounts of nicotine have been found even in nicotine-free e-cigarettes, enough to lead to addiction⁴
• Propylene glycol⁵

How is vaping bad for your health?

When vaping, e-cigarette users inhale toxic liquids and inhalable pollutants that enter the body and impact most organs, especially those in the upper airway. E-cigarette use has been linked with an increased risk of respiratory disease, including EVALI, a lung condition that has been linked specifically to e-cigarette use⁶.

E-cigarette users also experience changes in blood flow measures that lead to blood pressure and heart rate increases. Heart and lung diseases have been linked to the flavouring agents used in e-cigarettes. Only a handful of studies have looked at the effects of e-cigarette use on heart attacks and strokes⁶. Many of the same effects experienced by second-hand cigarette smokers are experienced by second-hand vape smokers.

Vaping effects on the environment

Like cigarette smoke, vaping has negative effects on the environment and contributes to poor air quality, especially by releasing particle pollution into the ambient environment. Furthermore, upwards of half of e-cigarette users (49.1%) do not know how to dispose of spent e-cigarette pods and disposable e-cigarettes. E-cigarette waste is expected to pose a more serious environmental threat than cigarette butts because their disposal introduces plastic, nicotine salts, heavy metals, and lithium-ion batteries into the environment. E-cigarette waste will never biodegrade⁷.

Do air purifiers help with vape smoke?

A high-quality air purifier is a powerful tool when it comes to combatting the dangers of vape smoke in an indoor environment. Air purifiers containing technologies that are capable of removing fine particles (PM10, PM2.5, and PM0.1) will filter and treat air that contains smoke from vaping. However, since vape smoke consists of a cocktail of dangerous chemicals, it is important to find a device that contains other air cleaning technologies to target other types of air pollution. This helps not only protect those most vulnerable to the effects of air quality but anyone exposed to poor air quality caused by second-hand vape smoke.

Benefits of an air purifier for vaping

Improve air quality

Investing in an air purifier is one of the best ways to improve indoor air quality. A high-end air purifier will filter all of the main types of pollutants like allergens (dust and dust mites, pollen, pet hair and dander, and mould and spores), germs (bacteria and viruses), VOCs (gaseous pollutants like formaldehyde), and more. Investing in indoor air quality with an air purifier for vaping will help protect users of your indoor space. This may help safeguard individuals from developing and aggravating respiratory diseases like allergies, asthma, and COPD, as well as other diseases caused by vape smoke.

Remove unpleasant odours

Air purifiers for vaping that are equipped with odour-fighting filters like activated carbon will help remove airborne odours that are generated by both vape smoke and cigarette smoke. These odours released by smoke particles may severely impact your indoor environment. Do keep in mind that not every air purifier is made to fight odours! Find out more in the section below.

Factors to consider when choosing an air purifier for vaping

Filtration technologies: HEPA + activated carbon filter

As briefly mentioned above, an air purifier for vaping is nothing without its filters. With so many air purifiers having flooded the market since the COVID-19 pandemic, it may feel overwhelming to choose the right one for your air cleaning needs.

The most important consideration to have when choosing an air purifier is its filtration technologies. The two most common technologies you will find on the air purifier market are 1) HEPA filters and 2) activated carbon filters.

HEPA, or High-Efficiency Particulate Air, is an international standard that guarantees a the removal of a certain percentage of air pollutants. There are multiple HEPA grades: Eoleaf air purifiers use medical-grade H13 filters that remove 99.97% of all air pollutants down to a size of 0.01 microns including tobacco smoke, dust mites, mould spores, pollen, germs, fine particles, and more). It is important to note that a filter must be HEPA-certified (it is not enough to claim that a filter is ‘HEPA’ which many brands, including Levoit, do). If the filter is not certified HEPA, its air cleaning capacity has not been verified by a third party, and the buyer risks investing in a device that does not perform.

HEPA, despite being widely considered as the gold standard of air filtration, does have its limits. HEPA filters are unable to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This is why having an activated carbon filter in addition to a HEPA filter is essential. Activated carbon filters fight gaseous pollutants like ozone, formaldehyde, benzene, aldehydes, and unpleasant odours, to name a few.

Some high-end air purifiers offer other air purification technologies in addition to those mentioned above. Eoleaf air purifiers are an anomaly on the market in that they offer 8 different filtration technologies, providing one of the most thorough air filtering on the market. Our devices provide:

• Pre-filters
• Bamboo filters with an antibacterial coating
• Medical-grade HEPA H13-certified filters
• Activated carbon filters
• Photocatalysis technologies
• UVC sterilisation (essential for sterilising your filter once pollutants have been captured!)
• Ionisation (negative ions)

Noise level

Another consideration to keep in mind is noise level. Air purifiers for vaping should be effective against vape smoke and other types of indoor air pollution but should never be noisy enough to disturb your sleep, studying, work, or napping children. Quiet yet effective, Eoleaf air purifiers are designed with the end user in mind. The gentle whirring coming from an Eoleaf air purifier when left running at night means that it even seconds a white noise machine to help you and your loved ones sleep better throughout the night whilst breathing the cleanest indoor air.

Room size compatibility

In order for an air purifier for vaping to achieve proper air cleaning in your indoor space, it must be properly sized. Air purifier sizing typically takes two factors into consideration: Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) and Air Changes per Hour (ACH).

CADR is another international standard that allows customers to compare efficiency rates between brands. It indicates the volume of filtered air an air purifier is capable of effectively cleaning. The higher the CADR, the more efficient the device at removing indoor air pollution. Eoleaf devices boast impressive CADR ratings, making them extremely efficient. Do note that certain brands like Dyson have refused to adhere to CADR, instead using their own in-house standard that makes it impossible to compare efficiency with other brands.

ACH refers to the amount of times that indoor air is replaced by an air purifier in one hour in an indoor space. For rooms with high pollution levels, especially if you live or work with an e-cigarette user, it is recommended to have an ACH rating of 4 or 5. This means that the air in the space is completely filtered and replaced 4 or 5 times per hepaodourhour. ACH is a metric that should be calculated by the manufacturer using your specific room size and intended usage to ensure that it will be enough to meet your needs.

Eoleaf is here to protect you from vape smoke

If you are exposed to vape smoke at home or at work, it is crucial to protect yourself from the dangers it may cause to your health. Eoleaf devices offer advanced technologies that ensure full filtration of your indoor air, including all of the contaminants found within vape and cigarette smoke. Reach out to our team of air purification experts for assistance on choosing the best device for you or refer to our detailed Buying Guide.

Frequently asked questions

Which kind of filter works best to collect vape particles?

Vape smoke consists of multiple types of air pollution, so it is important to purchase a device with several filters that combat a diversity of air pollutant types. A HEPA-certified filter is essential for removing fine particle pollution (PM10, PM2.5, and PM0.1). Activated carbon filters will remove gaseous pollutants (VOCs) and odours.

Can vape smoke be eliminated by using an air purifier?

Absolutely! High-quality air purifiers are extremely useful in removing indoor air pollution caused by vape smoke. At the very least, be sure that it contains a HEPA-certified filter, ideally one that is medical-grade (H13 or H14) and an activated carbon filter. Additional air purification technologies are beneficial.

Do vaping-related air purifiers use a lot of energy?

They shouldn’t. Modern, high-quality air purifiers are designed to work on a 24-hour basis without consuming significant amounts of energy. Be sure to refer to the device’s technical specifications before making your purchase.

How effective are air purifiers against vape smoke in large rooms?

The Eoleaf AEROPRO 150 is our air purifier designed for large rooms. It filters the air in rooms of up to 120 m2. With a CADR of 670 m3/h, it removes vape smoke with impressive efficiency!

Resources

¹ Jerzyński T, Stimson GV, Shapiro H, Król G. Estimation of the global number of e-cigarette users in 2020. Harm Reduct J. 2021 Oct 23;18(1):109. doi: 10.1186/s12954-021-00556-7. PMID: 34688284; PMCID: PMC8541798.

² Li L, Lin Y, Xia T, Zhu Y. Effects of Electronic Cigarettes on Indoor Air Quality and Health. Annu Rev Public Health. 2020 Apr 2;41:363-380. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094043. Epub 2020 Jan 7. PMID: 31910714; PMCID: PMC7346849.

³ Son Y, Giovenco DP, Delnevo C, Khlystov A, Samburova V, Meng Q. Indoor Air Quality and Passive E-cigarette Aerosol Exposures in Vape-Shops. Nicotine Tob Res. 2020 Oct 8;22(10):1772-1779. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntaa094. PMID: 32445475; PMCID: PMC7542645.

⁴ Fuoco, F. C., Buonanno, G., Stabile, L., & Vigo, P. (2014). Influential parameters on particle concentration and size distribution in the mainstream of e-cigarettes. Environmental Pollution, 184, 523–529. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749113005307?via%3Dihub

⁵ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). E-cigarettes expose users to toxic metals such as arsenic, lead (environmental factor, February 2022). National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. https://factor.niehs.nih.gov/2022/2/feature/3-feature-e-cigarettes-and-toxic-metals

⁶ Merschel, M. (2020, September 30). Lung injuries should be a warning about vaping’s risks. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/09/30/lung-injuries-should-be-a-warning-about-vapings-risks

⁷ A toxic, plastic problem: E-cigarette waste and the environment. Truth Initiative. (2021, March 8). https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/harmful-effects-tobacco/toxic-plastic-problem-e-cigarette-waste-and-environment