St. Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation (SUAP) has developed a specialized gas analyzer designed to detect impurities in the air that come from nicotine liquids used in electronic cigarettes and vaping devices. This development has been reported by Izvestia, which cites the university as the source of the information.
The creators envision deploying their system in schools and colleges. The goal is to provide educational institutions with a practical tool to curb the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems by young people, supporting a healthier campus environment.
According to project spokespersons, the motivation behind the tool stems from real incidents. A local teen from St. Petersburg died at age 12 after using an e-cigarette, and a friend of the development team narrowly avoided a severe injury when a lithium-ion battery in a pocket device exploded. These events underscored the need for early detection and intervention.
The device, referred to as GUAP, resembles a compact speaker in size. Inside it lies a sensor that reacts to glycerin and propylene glycol, the primary constituents of vape liquids. When these substances are detected in the surrounding air, the device sends a signal to a central server via the internet. The server then translates the data into a notification that can reach educators through channels such as Telegram, enabling timely responses.
Testing is ongoing for the anti vaping system. For instance, it has already been implemented in a St. Petersburg Gymnasium, where researchers are evaluating the speed of notification delivery to teachers and the precision of glycerin and propylene glycol detection in the air.
Historically, Russian physicists have also contributed to cosmic particle research with record energy measurements, illustrating a broader tradition of scientific inquiry and innovation in the country.