Characterization of Ultrafine Particles and VOCs Emitted from a 3D Printer

Abstract

Currently, widely available three-dimensional (3D) printers are very popular with the public. Previous research has shown that these printers can emit ultrafine particles (UFPs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Several studies have examined the emissivity of filaments from 3D printing, except glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) and styrene free co-polyester (NGEN) filaments. The aim of this study was to evaluate UFP and VOC emissions when printing using a commonly available 3D printer (ORIGINAL PRUSA i3 MK2 printer) using PETG and NGEN. The concentrations of UFPs were determined via measurements of particle number concentration and size distribution. A thermal analysis was carried out to ascertain whether signs of fiber decomposition would occur at printing temperatures. The total amount of VOCs was determined using a photoionization detector, and qualitatively analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The total particle concentrations were 3.88 × 1010 particles for PETG and 6.01 × 109 particles for NGEN. VOCs at very low concentrations were detected in both filaments, namely ethylbenzene, toluene, and xylene. In addition, styrene was identified in PETG. On the basis of our results, we recommend conducting additional measurements, to more accurately quantify personal exposure to both UFPs and VOCs, focusing on longer exposure as it can be a source of potential cancer risk.

Use of 3-Dimensional Printers in Educational Settings: The Need for Awareness of the Effects of Printer Temperature and Filament Type on Contaminant Releases

“…Particle number-based ER values (P-Trak data) for vHDPE, vLDPE, and vPP filaments ranged from 0.4 to 1.4 × 10 13 no./min for the normal-temperature prints (Table ). Literature values of particle ERs for ABS, PLA, nylon, polycarbonate, PETG, and several other types of filaments ranged from 10 8 to 10 11 no./min. ,, A comparison of results in Table to existing literature values indicated that the vHDPE, vLDPE, and vPP filaments emitted particles at higher number-based rates than ABS polymer. A prior study demonstrated that rats developed acute hypertension with a one-time exposure to emissions from 3-D printing with the ABS filament .…”

“…FFF 3-D printing with other polyethylenes such as PET and PETG primarily released xylene, toluene, styrene, and ethylbenzene, though none of these compounds were observed in the current study. 43,46 The literature from plastics extrusion (a process analogous to FFF 3-D printing) studies provides additional insights on possible emissions. Unwin et al reported that formaldehyde was quantifiable in the air of workplaces that extruded polyethylene polymers.…”

State of the art in additive manufacturing and its possible chemical and particle hazards—review

“…In turn, in a study by Azimi and col., 21 particle concentrations increased rapidly as soon as printing began, remained at this level for 10–20 minutes, and then decreased, but were higher than the background concentration. The release of most of the particles during the early stages of the FDM ® printing was documented in various investigations 111,125,149,150 . Yi and col 145 .…”

“…The release of most of the particles during the early stages of the FDM ® printing was documented in various investigations. 111 , 125 , 149 , 150 Yi and col. 145 measured particle concentrations before (~1 h), during (~14 min), and after printing (~1 h). A few minutes after the start of printing, the particle number concentration increased rapidly to a maximum value of about 3×10 5 particles/cm 3 and decreased about 100 minutes after printing was completed.…”

Measurement of Nanoparticles in 3d Printing Using FFF / FDM Technology

“…Previous studies have usually compared the measured concentrations of UFPs, their averages or their emission rates into the environment depending on the different types of filaments used in the printing process [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. These measurements have shown that the composition of emissions from 3D printing is influenced by a number of factors, such as the chemical composition of the filament, its colour, the operating temperature of the print, the effect of the nozzle used, and the functionality of the printer [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. The observed results are also influenced by the measurement scenario [11] or the type of instrumentation used [12].…”