Kaloud's 2021 Study On Hookah Smoke Health Effects

Our mission has always been to deliver the smoothest, cleanest, tastiest, puffs so that you enjoy your Hookah Sessions and, hopefully connect in meaningful ways with those you're sharing the experience with.

In this way, we at Kaloud believe that we can Transform the World One Puff at a Time. With that mission in mind, we've created hookah systems, the world's first and best Heat Management Devices, and now, activated carbon hookah filters that help further reduce harmful compounds in Hookah smoke.

By cooking the shisha tobacco rather than burning it and then filtering the smoke through the Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter, we now know that using Kaloud products can significantly reduce physiological harm caused by smoking Hookah compared to a traditional hookah (charcoal on foil with a base and stem system).

As you review these results, it is important to remember that the gasses in Hookah smoke and cigarette smoke are very different. While a Hookah session will typically produce significantly more gas (smoke) than one cigarette, the gas volume is not necessarily an indicator of the harm being caused. In other words, based on our testing, we believe that a cigarette produces significantly more harmful smoke than a Hookah paired with a Kaloud Lotus Heat Management Device and Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter, and this is especially true for a Krysalis Eltheria.

We ask that you do not, in any way, read these results as a claim that our products, or any product for that matter, will make smoking healthy. We can say, however, that we believe when our products are used properly they will lead to a significantly less harmful experience. Please remember that smoking is harmful, and though we believe our products reduce the harm associated with Hookah smoke, all kinds of smoking, including vaping, have been shown to cause physiological damage.

With that being said, we are profoundly pleased to share the results of testing we paid to do with an accredited laboratory in Germany over the course of several months in 2021.

We are committed to cooperating with any other labs or educational institutions that are interested in testing our products and validating or challenging our results. Please contact us for details. (Only accredited labs and institutions please).

The Three Test Conditions:

Baseline: Standard Hookah with no filter or Lotus Heat Management Device and Two Coconut Hookah Charcoal Cubes
Minimum Recommendation: Standard Hookah with the Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter and the Lotus Heat Management Device
Ideal Method: Krysalis Eltheria with the Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter, the Lotus Heat Management Device, and the Samsaris Vitria Bowl

We tested each condition five times and established 175 puffs per session as the standard we would use.

This helped us to determine the impact Kaloud products have on the harmful effects of Hookah Smoke.

† Please note, we used a lid on the Lotus in all tests, and the addition of any more charcoal cubes will introduce more harmful compounds and also overheat the shisha tobacco. Please use the Lotus lid whenever possible as it will help with heat management and reducing harm. Additionally, please note that none of our results are applicable to any other counterfeit or copy of any Kaloud Lotus.

Results: Krysalis Eltheria

Over the course of five separate testing cycles on the three conditions identified above, using the Krysalis Eltheria with a Lotus, Samsaris Vitria II, and Kaloud’s Ayara Activated Charcoal Hookah Filters decreased harmful chemicals by a truly significant amount.

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Results: Lotus and Ayara

Over the course of five separate testing cycles on the three conditions identified above, using the Lotus and Kaloud's Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filters also reduced harmful compounds. These can be used in combination with a standard hookah to deliver some of the health benefits that Kaloud products offer.

Carbonyl Compounds

Some carbonyl compounds have been identified as adversely affecting human health and can affect you in the following ways:

- Respiratory tract infection
- Damage to skin
- Neurodegenerative disorders

Table 1: Table showing the release of 8 carbonyl compounds over 4 different experimental conditions.

Carbonyl Compounds	Standard Hookah (baseline)	Standard Hookah & Kaloud Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter & Lotus	Percentage Decrease From Baseline	Krysalis Eltheria & Kaloud Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter & Lotus	Percentage Decrease From Baseline
Formaldehyde µg /175 puffs	778.8	238.0	69.4 %	40.2	94.8 %
Acetaldehyde µg /175 puffs	866.4	216.8	74.98 %	73.4	91.5 %
Acetone µg /175 puffs	211.4	47.0	77.8 %	<LOQ	100.0 %
Acroleine µg /175 puffs	296.4	38.8	86.9 %	<LOQ	100.0 %
Propionaldehyde µg /175 puffs	135.6	6.4	95.3 %	<LOQ	100.0 %
Crotonaldehyde µg /175 puffs	16.2	3.6	77.8 %	<LOQ	100.0 %
2-Butanone µg /175 puffs	5.2	<LOQ	100.0 %	<LOQ	100.0 %
Butyraldehyde µg /175 puffs	<LOQ	<LOQ	n/a	<LOQ	n/a
Average Percentage Decrease (%)			83.2 %		98.1 %

Average Percentage Decrease

Using a Krysalis Eltheria, Kaloud Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter and a Lotus Heat Management Device has the maximum effect in reducing carbonyl compounds, with an average reduction of 98.1%.

Table 2: Table showing the average percentage decrease of carbonyl compounds over 4 different experimental conditions, compared to baseline.

Figure 3: Figure comparing the average percentage decrease of carbonyl compounds to a standard hookah.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of chemicals that occur naturally in coal, crude oil, and gasoline. They are also produced when coal and tobacco are burned. PAHs are considered carcinogenic.

Table 1: Table showing the release of 16 PAHs over 4 different experimental conditions.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH)	Standard Hookah (baseline)	Standard Hookah & Kaloud Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter & Lotus	Percentage Decrease From Baseline	Kysalis Eltheria & Kaloud Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter & Lotus	Percentage Decrease From Baseline
Naphtalene µg /175 puffs	1.194	0.183	84.7 %	0.005	99.6 %
Acenaphthylene µg /175 puffs	0.050	0.004	92.0 %	0.000	100.0 %
Acenaphthene µg /175 puffs	0.199	0.030	84.8 %	0.007	96.6 %
Fluorene µg /175 puffs	0.228	0.015	93.6 %	0.003	98.5 %
Phenanthrene µg /175 puffs	1.264	0.232	81.7 %	0.046	96.4 %
Anthracene µg /175 puffs	0.137	0.015	88.8 %	0.006	95.8 %
Fluoranthene µg /175 puffs	0.477	0.102	78.6 %	0.031	93.5 %
Pyrene µg /175 puffs	0.625	0.146	76.7 %	0.077	87.6 %
Benz[a]anthracene µg /175 puffs	0.062	0.008	87.7 %	0.001	98.4 %
Chrysene µg /175 puffs	0.079	0.009	88.4 %	0.001	98.5 %
Benzo[b]fluoranthene µg /175 puffs	0.067	<LOQ	<LOQ	0.001	97.9 %
Benz[k]fluoranthen µg /175 puffs	0.002	<LOQ	100.0 %	<LOQ	100.0 %
Benzo[a]pyrene µg /175 puffs	0.018	<LOQ	<LOQ	<LOQ	100.0 %
Benzo[g,h,i]perylene µg /175 puffs	0.040	<LOQ	100.0 %	<LOQ	100.0 %
Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene µg /175 puffs	<LOQ	<LOQ	n/a	<LOQ	n/a
Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene µg /175 puffs	0.008	<LOQ	100.0 %	<LOQ	100.0 %
Average Percentage Decrease (%)			90.5 %		97.5 %

Average Percentage Decrease

Using a Krysalis Eltheria, Kaloud Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter and a Lotus Heat Management Device has the maximum effect in reducing PAHs, with an average reduction of 97.5%.

Table 4: Table showing the average percentage decrease of PAH over 3 different experimental conditions, compared to baseline.

Figure 4: Figure comparing the average percentage decrease of PAH to a standard hookah.

The Safer Option, period.

Tested componds were always lower when you use a Krysalis Eltheria compared to a standard hookah, without a charcoal filter.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short and long-term adverse health effects including cancer, permanent organ damage, and other serious health effects.

Table 5: Table showing the release of 5 VOCs over 4 different experimental conditions*.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)	Standard Hookah (baseline)	Standard Hookah & Kaloud Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter & Lotus	Percentage Decrease From Baseline (%)	Kysalis Eltheria & Kaloud Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter & Lotus	Percentage Decrease From Baseline (%)
1,3-Butadiene µg /175 puffs	<LOQ	<LOQ	n/a	<LOQ	n/a
Isoprene µg /175 puffs	<LOQ	<LOQ	n/a	<LOQ	n/a
Acrylonitrile µg /175 puffs	<LOQ	<LOQ	n/a	<LOQ	n/a
Benzene µg /175 puffs	205.5	36.4	82.3%	63.7	68.99%
Toluene µg /175 puffs	75.1	<LOQ	100.0%	<LOQ	100.0%
Average Percentage Decrease (%)		91.2			84.5

* Note, only two of the VOCs were present in our tests.

Average Percentage Decrease

Using a Krysalis Eltheria, Kaloud Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter and a Kaloud Lotus will reduce VOCs on average by of 84.5% compared to a standard hookah. Please note that the figure for Benzene is higher in the Krysalis Eltheria because Benzene is a heavier than air gas and the Krysalis Eltheria draws Hookah smoke in from the bottom of the system.

Table 6: Table showing the average percentage decrease of VOCs over 3 different experimental conditions, compared to baseline.

Figure 5: Figure comparing the average percentage decrease of VOCs to a standard hookah.

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels such as gas, oil, coal, and wood do not burn fully. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, toxic gas.

Table 7: Table showing the release of CO over 3 different experimental conditions.

Carbon Monoxide	Standard Hookah (baseline)	Standard Hookah & Kaloud Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter & Lotus	Percentage Decrease From Baseline	Kysalis Eltheria & Kaloud Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter & Lotus	Percentage Decrease From Baseline
Carbon Monoxide µg /175 puffs	199.8	78.3	60.8 %	129.9	34.97 %

Average Percentage Decrease

Using a Krysalis Eltheria, Kaloud Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter and a Lotus Heat Management Device leads to an average reduction of 35% of harmful CO compared to a regular hookah. Please note that the figure for Carbon Monoxide is higher in the Krysalis Eltheria because Carbon Monoxide is a heavier than air gas and the Krysalis Eltheria draws Hookah smoke in from the bottom of the system.

Table 8: Table showing the percentage decrease of CO over 3 different experimental conditions, compared to baseline.

Figure 6: Figure comparing the average percentage decrease of CO to a standard hookah.

Additional Notes

Our first condition used a standard Hookah with foil and bowl with two coconut Hookah Charcoal cubes according to ISO Standards for testing Hookah Smoke.
Our second and third conditions each used three cubes of coconut Hookah Charcoal to account for the Kaloud Lotus and which still yielded spectacular results.
Our second condition used a Kaloud Lotus, Samsaris Vitria II, and an Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter.
Our third condition used a Krysalis Eltheria with a Lotus, Samsaris Vitria II, and built in Ayara Activated Carbon Hookah Filter.
We hope to conduct further testing in 2022 on the Krysalis Calix, Lotus III, and Sitra Thermal Diffuser. We used a lid on the Lotus in all tests.
The addition of any more charcoal cubes will introduce more harmful compounds and also overheat the shisha tobacco, which is also very harmful.
Please use the Lotus lid whenever possible as it will help with heat management and reducing harm.
None of our results are applicable to any other counterfeit or copy of any Kaloud Lotus and also do not apply to any other Heat Management Device, especially devices that focus on physical contact with the Hookah Tobacco.

Questions or comments about this study? We'd love to hear from you. Email interact@kaloud.com or fill out our contact form.