Effects that vaping bleach and other disinfected chemicals have on your body

Have you heard about the new trend going around?

Vaping bleach and other disinfected chemicals. I know what you are thinking, who came up with this idea?

Recently, a talk radio caller proposed a possible treatment for the coronavirus, vaping bleach. The conservative host, Jeff Kuhner, assured him that his advice was not insane. The caller was not the only one who had this idea, President Donald Trump, also suggested to use disinfectants internally to treat the virus as well as hydroxychloroquine that is an anti-malaria drug.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued a warning after the President’s remark and stated that disinfectants were only for the use of cleaning surfaces and not for internal use.

EPA warned to never apply disinfectants to yourself or others and not to ingest these products. Doctors also took to social media to warn people about using disinfectants as a treatment.

!!!Most of the disinfectant products include chlorine and alcohol and are dangerous when inhaled in large amounts!!!

The effects of exposure to vapours of Hydrogen peroxide in humans

Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical that is reactive, and its main use is for bleaching as a disinfectant and a general oxidizing agent.
A study was done to determine what the effects on the human body are, when hydrogen peroxide vapors are inhaled. 11 healthy people volunteered and were exposed to 0 (clean air), 0.5 and 2.2ppm for 2 hours at rest.

Symptoms like irritation and central nervous system effects were rated with a visual analog scale. The ratings varied significantly but were in general low and with no notable differences between the exposure conditions. Although the ratings of smell showed borderline tendencies to increase at 2.2, but not at 0 or 0.5 ppm.
There were no exposure effects on the pulmonary function, nasal swelling, breathing and blinking frequency detected. No clear effects were seen on markers of inflammation and coagulation.
The next substances are Propylene Glycol and Vegetable Glycerin, two of the ingredients that can be found in vape juice.

Vegetable Glycerin

Vegetable Glycerine, is a natural chemical and is made from vegetable oils, meaning it is safe for vegetarians. It is commonly used in e-liquids to give the thick sensation to the vapor. It has a moderately sweet taste and is a bit thicker than PG. It gives a much smoother throat hit than PG, making it more fitting for the sub-ohm vaping.

The use of VG

It can be found in many medical, food and hygiene products:

• Sweeteners
• Beauty products like make-up, bubble bath, deodorant and aftershave
• Pet food
• Baked goods, to increase its moisture
• To provide the tick gel that is needed for certain medical creams, capsule pills and jellies
• Dental care products

Is VG safe?

The FDA overall recognised it as safe. The SIDS assessment profile showed that toxicity levels are low, when it is consumed, and it has low potential to irritate your skin and eyes. The thing you need to be aware of when using VG, is the increased thickness means it reduces the life of the atomizers quicker than PG juice. High VG liquids clog up the coils quicker and will not work well anymore.

Propylene Glycol

It is a substance commonly used to be added to food or ingredients in many cosmetic and hygiene products. It became controversial, because it also can be found in Antifreeze. Food Authorities of US and Europe have declared it overall safe to use in foods. This led to some health concerns about the possible toxic effect from eating foods that contain this.

PG is a synthetic food addictive and belongs to the same chemical group as alcohol. It is colorless, odourless and a liquid that is a bit syrupy and thicker than water and has almost no taste. It can dissolve some substances better than water can and is also good at retaining moisture.
It is found in a wide variation of foods and drinks, because it is a very useful food additive. It helps to improve food’s texture, flavour, shelf life and appearance. Also, used in medications that are injectable and, in some creams, and ointments that you apply to your skin.
Because of its chemical properties, it is found in a variation of hygiene and cosmetic products. It is also found in industrial products like paint, antifreeze, artificial smoke and e-cigarettes.

Propylene glycol is water-soluble, synthetic, non-toxic and easy to metabolize. Even with extended direct exposure, there is little to no irritation or sensitization of the skin. It subsides quickly once it is flushed away. The MSDS has a smart recommendation to avoid direct handling of the product due to potential irritation. This is not an indication of the level of toxicity.
When a worker in the chemical industry is exposed into large and continues quantities of chemicals, its form is concentrated. It is important to always use safety precautions.

PG is non-toxic when ingested, even if it is reasonably large amounts. Unlike its dangerous and frequently lethal cousin named, Ethylene glycol, PG is easily metabolized by the liver into products that are normal of the citric acid metabolic cycle. It is non-toxic to the body. Round about 45 percent of PG that is ingested, is directly excreted from the body and does not come in contact with your liver.

Things to be aware of when vaping PG

Some people find high levels of PG irritating to their throat, although allergies to PG are rare some have been detected. If you break out in a rash or have other unpleasant reactions after using PG rather use VG instead. 

The most common side effects of PG, when you first start off vaping is:

• Dehydration symptoms like your mouth being dry
• Sore throat 
• Increased thirst.  Make sure to drink more water than usual for the first 2 weeks of starting to vape, the symptoms will only last for a few days because your body gets used to the PG.

Be safe, when you vape. If it is not meant for you to eat or drink, please don’t consume it by vaping it. You can be cool without damaging your body. Vape things that are made to be vaped like the amazing range of flavours you get. 

Inhale the good, exhale the bad.