Identification of Sweeteners in E-liquids by Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Undergraduates: Katherine Murdoch, Katherine Murdoch James Keating

Faculty Advisor: Gary Glish
Department: Chemistry

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E-cigarettes are an emerging tobacco product that is rapidly gaining popularity, but little is known about the formulation of the e-liquids. Currently, manufacturers are not required to disclose product formulations, which makes it difficult to understand the public health impact of the emerging product. Mass spectrometry provides a highly sensitive and selective means of identifying compounds that are being included in these e-cigarette and e-liquid products. Artificial sweeteners and sugars have both been detected in flavored e-liquids, adding to our understanding of product formulations. Sucralose was readily identified based on the isotope ratio inherent to compounds containing three chlorines, and confirmed with MS/MS and a sucralose standard, using both positive and negative ion mode. The direct infusion ESI MS approach was used to screen a large number of e-liquids to gain an understanding of the frequency with which these sweeteners are being included in the products.