Characterization of Volatile and Particulate Emissions from Desktop 3D Printers

Abstract

The rapid expansion of 3D printing technologies has led to increased utilization in various industries and has also become pervasive in the home environment. Although the benefits are well acknowledged, concerns have arisen regarding potential health and safety hazards associated with emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulates during the 3D printing process. The home environment is particularly hazardous given the lack of health and safety awareness of the typical home user. This study aims to assess the safety aspects of 3D printing of PLA and ABS filaments by investigating emissions of VOCs and particulates, characterizing their chemical and physical profiles, and evaluating potential health risks. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed to profile VOC emissions, while a particle analyzer (WIBS) was used to quantify and characterize particulate emissions. Our research highlights that 3D printing processes release a wide range of VOCs, including straight and branched alkanes, benzenes, and aldehydes. Emission profiles depend on filament type but also, importantly, the brand of filament. The size, shape, and fluorescent characteristics of particle emissions were characterized for PLA-based printing emissions and found to vary depending on the filament employed. This is the first 3D printing study employing WIBS for particulate characterization, and distinct sizes and shape profiles that differ from other ambient WIBS studies were observed. The findings emphasize the importance of implementing safety measures in all 3D printing environments, including the home, such as improved ventilation, thermoplastic material, and brand selection. Additionally, our research highlights the need for further regulatory guidelines to ensure the safe use of 3D printing technologies, particularly in the home setting.

Keywords: 3D printing; additive manufacturing; particulate emissions; volatile organic compounds.

Figure 1

Schematic of printer chamber containing the 3D printer, the VOC sampling, and the particulate sampling ports above and below the printer, respectively (created in Biorender).

Figure 2

Stacked bar charts showing abundances of (a) the most abundant compounds recovered and (b) all other identified compounds classified by compound class recovered from different PLA filaments following the printing of test cube (n = 4).

Figure 3

Stacked bar charts showing abundances of (a) the most abundant compounds recovered and (b) all other identified compounds classified by compound class recovered from the different ABS filaments following the printing of test cube (n = 4).

Figure 4

Stacked bar charts showing emission profiles by compound for (a) n-alkanes, (b) branched alkanes, and (c) aromatics for PLA and ABS filaments sampled from the print chamber following the printing of test cube. Compounds already profiled in Figure 2 and Figure 3 are not included here.

Figure 5

Stacked bar charts showing emission profiles by compound for (a) aldehydes, (b) ketones, and (c) esters for PLA and ABS filaments sampled from the print chamber following the printing of test cube. Compounds already profiled in Figure 2 and Figure 3 are not included here.

Figure 6

(a) Total average minute particle count and (b) particle density size distribution (black line illustrates mean particle size and y-axis is density) per filament type.

Figure 7

Size vs. AF distribution of all particles detected by the WIBS for the control experiment prior to PLA printing and for the PLA printing of the test cube (26 min).