Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Public Health

Background:

• Desktop 3D printers are known to emit ultrafine particles (UFPs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• Limited research exists on the specific emission profiles of various 3D printer and filament combinations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify ultrafine particle (UFP) and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from diverse desktop 3D printer and filament combinations.
• To identify specific VOCs and their emission rates during the 3D printing process.

Main Methods:

• Controlled experiments were conducted in a test chamber using five commercial filament extrusion desktop 3D printers.
• Nine different filament types were tested, and emissions of UFPs and speciated VOCs were measured.
• Time-varying UFP emission rates and quantities of individual VOCs were quantified.

Main Results:

• Median UFP emission rates varied from approximately 10^8 to 10^11 particles/min, influenced by filament material and bed temperature.
• Key VOCs emitted included caprolactam (from nylon, wood, brick filaments), styrene (from ABS, HIPS filaments), and lactide (from PLA filaments).
• Emission rates for caprolactam ranged from ~2 to ~180 μg/min, styrene from ~10 to ~110 μg/min, and lactide from ~4 to ~5 μg/min.

Conclusions:

• 3D printer emissions vary significantly based on filament material and operating conditions.
• Potential exposure to UFPs and VOCs necessitates caution when operating printers in poorly ventilated spaces.
• The use of combined gas and particle filtration systems is recommended for mitigating exposure risks.