Interactive pharmacokinetic model / 24 hours
Same nicotine. Different rhythm.
Compare cigarette boluses with vape micro-doses using one simple first-order elimination model. Move the controls to see how dose size, frequency, and half-life reshape the curve.
It is a teaching aid, not a clinical prediction. "Dose" below means nicotine absorbed into systemic circulation, not the nicotine printed on a pack or present in liquid.
Modeled systemic nicotine signal
arbitrary concentration unitsWhat the curve says
Boluses create sharper peaks and deeper troughs. More frequent top-ups smooth the line, but smoothing does not mean less total exposure when the absorbed daily dose is held constant. AUC is broadly governed by dose divided by elimination rate in this model.
What the curve cannot say
Real delivery depends on inhalation, device power, formulation, absorption, metabolism, tolerance, and self-titration. Product nicotine, aerosol yield, and absorbed nicotine are different quantities. Overnight, the model keeps eliminating nicotine after the final 23:00 dose.