Exposure to chemical substances and particles emitted during additive manufacturing

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 29; no. 26; pp. 40273 - 40278
• Main Authors: Dobrzyńska, Elżbieta, Kondej, Dorota, Kowalska, Joanna, Szewczyńska, Małgorzata
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.06.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Additive manufacturing; Air sampling; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Carbonyl compounds; Carbonyls; Chemical compounds; Chromatography; Degradation products; Diameters; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Emission analysis; Emission measurements; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Esters; Filaments; Fused deposition modeling; Gas chromatography; Health risks; High performance liquid chromatography; Liquid chromatography; Manufacturing; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Mechanical ventilation; Monomers; Organic compounds; Particle counters; Particle emission; Phthalic acid; Radiation counters; Short Research and Discussion Article; Styrene; Three dimensional printing; Toluene; Ventilation; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Working conditions; Phthalic acid esters; Carcinogens; Emission; Additive manufacturing; 3D printing; Particles; Indoor air
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20347-2

Additive manufacturing is an innovative technology that allows the production of three-dimensional objects replicating digital models. The aim of this study was to identify whether the use of this technology in a room without mechanical ventilation system may pose a health risk to its users due to the emission of chemical compounds and fine particles. Measurements were conducted in a furnished space with natural ventilation only, during additive manufacturing on a fused deposition modeling printer with 9 different filaments. Both chemicals and particles were sampled. Volatile organic compounds and phthalic acid esters were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry detection. Carbonyl compounds were determined using the high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection method. Fine particle emission studies were carried out using a DiSCmini particle counter (Testo). In the air samples, numerous chemical substances were identified including both the monomers of the individual materials used for printing such as styrene and other degradation products (formaldehyde, toluene, xylenes). Moreover, 3D printing process released particles with modal diameters ranging from 22.1 to 106.7 nm and increased the number concentration of particles in the workplace air. The results of analyses, depending on the type of material applied, showed the presence of particles and chemical substances in the working environment that may pose a risk to human health. Most of the identified substances can be harmful when inhaled and irritating to eyes and skin.