Table 1 Technical specifications and comparison between the in vitro exposure systems used in this study: Borgwaldt RM20 and Vitrocell VC 10 [40]
Borgwaldt RM20S smoking machine | Vitrocell VC 10 smoking robot | |
|---|---|---|
Dimensions (L × D × H) | 2.4 m × 0.8 m × 1.3 m | 1.5 m × 0.8 m × 0.85 m |
Footprint | Floor standing (2 m2) | Bench top (1.2 m2) |
Dilution system | Syringe based independent dilution system capable of 8 independent dilutions per exposure device | Continuous flow dilution bar capable of 4 independent dilutions per exposure device |
Dilution range | 1:2–1:4000 (aerosol:air, v/v) | Diluting airflow 0–12 l/min and exposure module vacuum sample rate 5–200 ml/min |
Exposure throughput | Up to 8 chambers with 3, 6, 8 inserts/chamber | Up to 4 modules with 3 or 4 inserts/module |
Computer controller | Integrated computer | Requires PC |
Smoking regime | ISO, HCI, Massachusetts, bell and square (e-cig) puff profiles | ISO, HCI and bespoke (human) smoking profiles, bell and square (e-cig) puff profiles |
Tubing transit length to exposure device | ~290 cm | ~90 cm |
Time taken from puff to exposure | ~15–24 s (depending on dilution) | ~8 s |