This methods development paper evaluated impinger configurations for collecting hydrophobic cannabis aerosol from vaped cannabis concentrate cartridges and combusted cannabis flower for subsequent ICP-MS metals analysis. The study used spiked model matrices and is not a retail market occurrence survey. It is catalogued here as methodological context for the vape-hardware routing.
Key numbers
Recoveries from the best-performing impinger configuration (acetone plus ammonium acetate combination) for 10 metals in spiked cannabis oil (Table 2): arsenic 78%, mercury 60%, nickel 28%, copper 15%, tin 16%, cadmium 7.5%, cobalt 4.1%, chromium 6.7%, lead 2.1%. LOD range: 0.33 to 0.70 µg/g in spiked oil; LOQ range: 0.80 to 2.3 µg/g. [VERIFY table check]
A heating coil from one test device was found to contain above 46% nickel by composition, consistent with the nickel-chromium alloys used in ECDS heating elements. Vaped cannabis concentrate showed elevated arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, mercury, manganese, nickel, and lead relative to pre-vaping concentrate, suggesting metal enrichment from device heating during use.
Methods (brief)
ICP-MS (10 metals); multiple impinger solvent systems compared; spiked cannabis oil and cannabis flower model matrices; LOD = 3 times standard deviation of calibration blank (n=10). Not a market occurrence study.
Evidence fitness
This paper is methodological context for cannabis vaping hardware analysis, relevant to the vape-hardware routing. The finding that heating coils leach metals into vaping aerosol during use is consistent with the nickel and chromium concentrations reported in cannabis vaping liquids by Achuthan et al. (2025). This paper contains no finished-product occurrence data for dried cannabis flower.
Limitations
Methods development study only. Recoveries are for spiked matrices, not authentic contaminated samples. Heating coil composition from one device may not represent all ECDS hardware.
Related evidence
Update history
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