PROPYLENE GLYCOL IS ANTIBACTERIAL – HEALTH BENEFITS OF PG
While researching as far back as in the 1940’s, scientists found that propylene glycol was a powerful and potent germicide. When they added propylene glycol to air it killed large volumes of air-suspended bacteria. This includes but is not limited to pneumococci, streptococci, staphylococci and the bacteria that causes Meningitis as well.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The bacteria that cause respiratory illnesses float around in microscopic droplets of water that is breathed in by all living creatures. At the University of Chicago’s Billings Hospital, Dr. Oswald Robertson conducted a series of studies. He concluded that since air introduced with Propylene Glycol became sterile within seconds, Propylene Glycol gives off gas molecules that dissolve in the water droplets and kill any germs there. Therefore making the air sterilized.
THE STUDY THAT STARTED IT ALL
In one study, Dr. Robertson had a group of mice that he divided into two groups. In the chamber with the first group, he sprayed the air with propylene glycol followed by the flu virus. In the chamber housing the other group, he sprayed only the flu virus. The mice lived in the chamber that had the propylene glycol added. The mice in the other chamber with only the flu virus unfortunately all died.
Dr. Robertson continued his research and concluded that air that contains propylene glycol is anti-bacterial. This means that it kills all kinds of bacteria in the air, including bacteria that cause staph, strep, pneumonia and meningitis, among a myriad of others. The vapor from itl is odorless as well as invisible and non-irritating.
IS PROPYLENE GLYCOL SAFE FOR CONSUMPTION?
It has been found that Propylene Glycol is harmless to humans when swallowed and injected. But is it safe for humans to inhale? Dr. Robertson wondered the same thing, so he conducted more studies to establish if it was safe for human inhalation. When he studied the mice, they did not have any detrimental effects from inhaling the propylene glycol. Even though he found it to be generally non-toxic, there was still worry that the glycol may build up in the lungs of erect humans and animals. Unlike animals that walk on four legs, humans and erect animals have lungs that do not drain on their own. This would pose a problem if the glycol does in fact build up in their lungs over prolonged use.
THE STUDY RESULTS
To find out if this would be the case or not, Dr. Robertson conducted more studies. This time monkeys were the focus of the research. This is because like humans, monkeys are erect animals that walk on two legs and have similar lung function as well. For his research, Dr. Robertson had monkeys sent from the University of Puerto Rico’s School of Tropical Medicine. The monkeys lived in habitats with months and months of exposure to propylene glycol rich air. During this time, the monkeys thrived. There were no negative effects from their breathing in the propylene glycol for extended periods. It was quite the opposite in fact. The monkeys thrived and were happy and healthy.
CONCLUSION
This research began to be conducted in the early 1940’s. Though it may be news to the vaping community, scientists have known for decades that propylene glycol is an antibacterial substance. The study found that .5mg of propylene glycol is able to kill almost all microorganisms in a liter of severely contaminated air in as little as 15 seconds. This is wonderful news from a medical stand point and an ever bigger point for the vaping community as it is another step in the right direction in terms of the safety of e-cigarettes and the health of vapers everywhere.
