Disposable e-cigarettes and cigarette butts alter the physiology of an aquatic plant Lemna minor (Lemnaceae)

Cigarette butts are one of the most littered single-use plastic items worldwide and can have ecotoxicological effects. e-Cigarettes (or ‘vapes’) have gained popularity globally as an alternative to tobacco-based cigarettes in recent years. The increased availability of disposable e-cigarettes has resulted in a rise in their littering, presenting a complex form of e-waste in the environment, yet the environmental impacts of littered e-cigarettes are largely unknown. Here Lemna minor (common duckweed) was used as a model organism to understand the effects of smoked cigarettes, vaped e-cigarettes or e-liquid. Growth-related physiological responses were measured (biomass, root development and frond chlorophyll content). After 14 days of exposure to cigarette butts there was an increase of all measured growth variables. On the contrary, exposure to e-cigarettes or e-liquid caused a decrease in root length, biomass and frond number relative to controls. The significant deviations from control conditions suggest that the presence of either cigarette butts, e-cigarettes or e-liquid caused stress to the model plant which could indicate disruption of aquatic ecosystems at the primary producer level. Disposable vapes pose a novel threat to aquatic ecosystems and it would be prudent to prevent them from becoming the next top litter item.