The CORESTA E-Cigarette Task Force (changed to E-Vapour Sub-Group in 2016), formed in 2013, steadily grew to include over 55 members from 45 different organisations representing e-cigarette and e-liquid manufacturers, academia, regulators, equipment suppliers, and testing labs.

The initial objectives were:

1. To create a document on worldwide product definition and definitions of terms to support harmonisation of nomenclature.
2. To gather and share preliminary data on analysis relevant to e-cigarettes worldwide with a view to making recommendations for product testing.
3. To define the relevant categories of products for potential further CORESTA studies.

The first objective "to create a document on worldwide product definition and definitions of terms to support harmonisation of nomenclature" has been completed with the publication of the Reference Report "E-Cigarettes: A Brief Description of History, Operation and Regulation."

The Task Force completed three studies focused on the testing of e-liquid composition, the parameters for collection of e-cigarette aerosol, and the analysis of e-cigarette aerosol for nicotine, glycerine, propylene glycol, and water.  Based on the Task Force’s findings, a 55 ml puff volume, 3 second puff duration, 30 second puff interval, and a square wave puff profile was recommended as a standardised approach for e-cigarette aerosol collection.  The Task Force published several technical reports and issued CRM 81: Routine Analytical Machine for E-cigarette Aerosol Generation and Collection - Definitions and Standard Conditions.

In addition, the Task Force completed a preliminary proficiency study conducted at 14 labs using eight different Disposable and Rechargeable products.

• E-Liquid Preliminary Proficiency Study. Technical Report - March 2015

The following CORESTA E-Cigarette Task Force reports have also been published:

• 2014 Electronic Cigarette Aerosol Parameters Study. Technical Report - March 2015
• E-Cigarettes: Assessment of Analytical Literature from 55 Studies Published Worldwide prior to November 2013 on Commercial E-Cigarettes. Reference Report - May 2014
• E-Cigarettes: A Brief Description of History, Operation and Regulation. Reference Report - February 2014
• 2014 Preliminary Aerosol Proficiency Study. Technical Report - October 2017
• 2015 Collaborative Study for Determination of Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Water and Nicotine in Collected Aerosol of E-Cigarettes. Technical Report - March 2017, revised October 2021

The Task Force also published two Recommended Methods:

• CRM 81: Routine Analytical Machine for E-cigarette Aerosol Generation and Collection - Definitions and Standard Conditions
• CRM 84: Determination of Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Water, and Nicotine in the Aerosol of E-cigarettes by Gas Chromatographic Analysis

A specific Working Group (WG2) was created within the Sub-Committee 3 (SC 3) (Vape and Vapour Products) within ISO/TC 126 to deal with vaping machine standard conditions. WG2 was led by CORESTA and CRM81 was used as a basis for the development of an international standard, ISO 20768.

Given the growing interest and focus on e-cigarettes, the work of the group continued to evolve to address the increasing need for solid scientific methodologies and data.

In June 2015 the Task Force objectives were reviewed. In June 2016, the Task Force was changed to a Sub-Group, as its work and activities were viewed as being long-term, and its objectives revised accordingly. The new scope being wider than e-cigarettes, and in line with the name of the ISO/TC 126/SC 3, the group changed its name “E-Vapour” with the objectives detailed at the top of this page.

Since the change in status, the Sub-Group has published five Guides:

• Guide No. 18: Sample Handling and Sample Collection of E-Cigarettes and E-Vapour Generating Products
• Guide No. 22: Technical Guide for the Selection of Appropriate Intense Vaping Regimes for E-Vapour Devices
• Guide No. 25: Technical Guide for Aerosol Collection and Considerations when Testing E-Vapour Product Technologies
• Guide No. 26: Technical Guide for Designing E-Vapour Product Stability Studies
• Guide No. 28: Technical Guide for Setting Method LOD and LOQ Values for the Determination of Metals in E-Liquid and E-Vapour Aerosol by ICP-MS

And seven reports:

• 2017 Collaborative Study on Carbonyl Containing Compounds in Electronic Cigarette Liquids. Technical Report - May 2018
• 2019 Collaborative Study for the Determination of Formaldehyde and Acetaldehyde in E-Vapour Product Aerosol. Technical Report - November 2020
• Metals Analysis Method for E-Liquids. Technical Report - May 2020
• 2019 Collaborative Study: Reference Device for e-Cigarette Aerosol. Technical Report - January 2021
• 2021 Collaborative Study for the Determination of Metals in E-liquids. Technical Report - October 2022
• 2021 Collaborative Study for the Determination of Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines in E-Liquids. Technical Report - November 2022

And three Recommended Methods:

• CRM 96: Determination of Formaldehyde and Acetaldehyde in E-Vapour Product Aerosol
• CRM 98: Determination of Select Metals in E-Liquid by ICP-MS
• CRM 102: Determination of Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines in E-Liquid by LC-MS/MS

And one peer reviewed publication:

• Gupta A., Tayarrah R., Gillman G., Garner C., Stevens R.  Machine Vaping of Electronic Cigarettes - A Comparison of Puffing Regimes. Contributions to Tobacco & Nicotine Research, 30(3) (2021) 127-136

In addition, in 2019 the Sub-Group qualified a recommended CORESTA Reference Device for use as a monitor product during e-cigarette aerosol collection and analysis.

CORESTA Press Release: E-Cigarette Task Force (July 2013)

Updated November 2023