<p>An experimental method is presented for the first time to determine the concentration of nicotine in exhaled breath following e-cigarette use in experienced participants and the impact that vaping topography has on the retention rate of nicotine. Aerosols from e-cigarettes containing different concentrations of nicotine were first evaluated by GC-FID to determine the concentration of nicotine delivered per puff versus machine - vaping intensity. These e-cigarettes were then vaped by participants through a cigarette holder attached to a smoking topography analyzer which recorded puff volume and puff duration. This allowed the concentration of nicotine in the aerosol inhaled by the participant during each puff to be determined. A PTR-MS instrument was then used to determine the concentration of nicotine exhaled following each use of the e-cigarette. By dividing this figure by the nicotine concentration delivered enabled its retention rate to be calculated. The principal finding was over 99% of the nicotine was retained by the participants when the e-cigarette aerosol was inhaled and a reduced but still substantial quantity was retained (on average 86%) when the e-cigarette aerosol was held in the mouth only (i.e, no inhalation). In both cases, the nicotine concentrations detected in the exhaled breath were low (range 1.8 - 1786 ppb). The experimental method presented here may be used to determine the concentration of other e-cigarette aerosol constituents in exhaled breath and the retention rate of those constituents which is useful for the evaluation of e-cigarettes from a consumer and bystander perspective.</p>

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