Desktop 3D Printers Shown To Emit Hazardous Gases and Particles (acs.org) 96
An anonymous reader writes: A new study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology by researchers at Illinois Institute of Technology and The University of Texas at Austin sheds more light on potentially harmful emissions from desktop FDM 3D printers. The researchers measured emissions of both ultrafine particles (UFPs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from 5 commercially available polymer-extrusion 3D printers using up to 9 different filaments. [The researchers] found that the individual VOCs emitted in the largest quantities included caprolactam from nylon-based and imitation wood and brick filaments (ranging from ~2 to ~180 g/min), styrene from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) filaments (ranging from ~10 to ~110 g/min), and lactide from polylactic acid (PLA) filaments (ranging from ~4 to ~5 g/min). Styrene is classified as a "possible human carcinogen" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC classification group 2B). While caprolactam is classified as "probably not carcinogenic to humans," the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) maintains low acute, 8-hour, and chronic reference exposure levels (RELs) of only 50, 7, and 2.2 g per cubic meters, respectively, all of which would likely be exceeded with just one of the higher emitting printers operating in a small office.
Duh? (Score:5, Insightful)
Ummmm, duh? You're melting plastics in order to reform them into another shape. It doesn't take a study to realize you shouldn't stick your face in and breathe deeply.
Don't Worry (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Don't Worry (Score:5, Funny)
Besides, if you do happen to get cancer, you can just 3D print yourself a replacement organ.
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a lot.
and its covered by OSHA regulations regarding exposure limits, required PPE, etc, as well as protection from the union should a company try to skirt any of those.
all gained from hard experience.
now, what was the point of your straw man?
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Consider a future of 3D printing where there will be a Desktop version in ones SOHO office. A Counter-Top version in the kitch
Re:Don't Worry (Score:4, Interesting)
Because Slashdot doesn't support unicode.
Really though how much of idiots do these system designers have to be to not have thought of this? For fun I've been working on a design for a material-flexible 3d printer (though I don't actually plan to put the money and time into building it any time soon) and it became clear very early on that atmospheric control would be critical if you want to have it in the house. There are only a very few raw materials that come to mind that I wouldn't have outgassing or dust concerns with.
I can't imagine why they didn't think to at least put an activated carbon pad and/or paper air filter in the airflow path through the housing. It'd have almost no effect on the final cost.
Re:Don't Worry (Score:4, Interesting)
Apparently one of the gases is "probably not carcinogenic" and the other is only classed as a "possible human carcinogen" so really the title should read "Desktop 3D Printers Shown to Emit Gases some of which might be hazardous". Not to mention that if the safe exposure level is 50g/m^3 that's almost 5% by weight of air so either someone messed up the units or one of the gases emitted are safer than carbon dioxide and nobody suggests that we ban candles.
The good old "it won't happen to me"? Unfortunately, reality isn't as kind as that, as I'm sure you know. The purpose of this research is not to get 3D printing banned, or even to "discover" that it is hazardous; we already knew that there are hazards connected with working with hot, melted plastic. We just hadn't quantified the hazards well enough, yet. It makes sense to figure this out, so we can make informed decisions about how to mitigate the problem.
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Still, it does a poor job at quantifying the hazard because even if it gives concentration of the gases, there's no data on how harmful they are.
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well, that part usually comes after someone says "hey there might be a problem here", not before.
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Caprolactam is probably not carcinogenic, but it is most definitely an irritant and somewhat toxic, neither of which are good qualities to have for a gas in your home. Styrene, in addition to being a possible carcinogen, is toxic and mutagenic. In particular, it's toxic to the central nervous system. According to the EPA:
Possible, not probable (Score:2)
But hey, it's only probable that it'll also give you "leukemia, lymphoma, and other stem, blood, and bone marrow cancers", so let's totally play it down.
Actually it is only possible, not probable, and as such from a carcinogenic point of view is technically less dangerous than bacon which the WHO classes as "probably carcinogenic". As far as the summary is concerned it is more a case of "let's just mention this slight possibility of cancer and not mention any other of the apparently proven and very serious effects of the gas". If this summary had been written about the dangers of guns it would have probably only have discussed the possibility of lead poiso
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So much this. Candles are immensely dangerous but we still allow them. Smoking too, both in terms of smoking some herbs and smoking food for consumption, char-grilling food, BBQing food, etc.
Just stick a vacuum in there and vent it elsewhere if you are that paranoid, but a large number of people already consume worse things for their health.
And the carcinogenic ones are just the start, next up is horrific amounts of (both natural and unnatural) fats, "diet" foods which provably make you gain weight (more
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Your statements about dietary fat and "panic-mode" indicate that you don't have your facts in order (since these are topics I've researched). Consequently, your whole post is suspect.
Re:Duh? (Score:5, Insightful)
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Didn't you read the study of course the tested printers are listed and the exact setup is described
The MakerBot with ABS filament was also tested twice once with the plastic enclosure from the manufacturer installed as received from the factory and once with the enclosure intentionally removed
punctuation also intentionally removed for your convenience
I would like to know whats different with the olde (Score:4, Interesting)
whats different with the older study? the new nylon, wood filaments?
the old study that was at some media quoted as OMG IT KILLS YA actually when covered correctly was titled about "3d printer as hazardous as cooking".
and well if you cook your peek/teflon parts in the extruder then thats pretty hazardous..
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Oh, and mandatory SMBC link. [smbc-comics.com]
Yes, I know it's supposed to be XKCD, but we're working on a budget here...
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As I'd expect. The difference between professional units and home units isn't just print quality.
Manufacturing requires controlled atmospheres. Heck, the thing that most people really want - 3d printed metal - simply can't be conducted in uncontrolled atmospheres at all. You at least have to use shielding gases, and it's very likely going to at least produce ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, etc - never mind any potential outgasing/particulate from the metal (depends on what you're sintering - for
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Would they just vent all this into the room for hours on end?
Once China figures out how to make a resistance sintering furnace they can sell on Alibaba for $1,995 then yes, quite probably. And none of this woosy zirconia stuff, they'll use thoria so you can read in the dark while you're working.
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where I work, yes, they'd just vent it into the office space. That's what they do with the stratasys printers. Actually, there's no "venting" per se. They just sit in the office and emit.
Sure, these units are sub $100,000 ABS printing units so maybe the really high end stuff is vented. But the comments here about "cheapo bad, expensive good" come off more as astroturfing for/by stratasys and 3d systems than reality.
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the stratasys units i'm familiar with aren't vented and, even though no one seems to want to admit to the toxicity of the fumes, forced their relocation and time usage on to people who had no clout. In other words, even without evidence (like presented in this study) as to toxicity, the fumes are so noxious that the printers were moved.
Interestingly, this study affirms a previous study that printing with PLA is little different than other common environmental factors (e.g., cooking) with the dangerous mater
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Re:No surprise here. (Score:5, Funny)
We can only hope that 3-D printers are someday as safe as chemistry sets.
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You're usually okay if you stay upwind, right?
Re:No surprise here. (Score:5, Funny)
"Mostly"?
My uncle died when working with a chemistry set and standing upwind. He was just reducing CuO with Mg, standing upwind, when a drunk truck driver drove an 18-wheeler into his house killing him instantly.
Now if he only stood downwind, these 3 meters would have saved his life.
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And rightly so. Having a beard and checked shirt will merely hasten the death by hipsterism in additional to the risk of a crazed AirBnB host.
Plastic is nothing but toxic garbage (Score:2, Insightful)
And now we are suddenly surprised that manufacturing plastics from toxic chemicals actually released toxic chemicals into the air. Even when you do it in your own home. Who would've known.
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Some perspective would always be welcome, even on Slashdot. Cooking is still by far more dangerous and effects far, far more people and as such is a public health hazard. http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/cookingstudy.pdf I can only hope one day we will be living in an evidence-based society where cooking will be outlawed as a public menace. That said of course, there's absolutely nothing wrong with studying and reducing health hazards, and many printer manufacturers have long since responded with filte
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One thing that has not yet happened but would be somewhat welcome is some sort of "chemical safety labeling" for printer filament
You mean like this MSDS [3dxtech.com] for 3DXNano(TM) ESD ABS?
Lots of toxic chemicals are usd every day (Score:2, Insightful)
It would seem that the best approach is simply to 3D print things in a well-ventilated area. Lots of things are toxic if exposed to sufficient concentrations. In the absence (for now) of alternatives to the toxic chemicals, the best advice is ventilation and avoid the areas as much as possible where printing is being done.
Re:Lots of toxic chemicals are usd every day (Score:4, Interesting)
How many people ACTUALLY print in a well-ventilated area though? If many people are using these printers, and most of them are doing so indoors(many are inside bedrooms) and most of those aren't opening doors or windows to ventilate the room: I think the headline is of significant public interest. I have a printer running in our guest bedroom right now with all doors and windows shut. I walk in the room to check on the print and get a good smell of ABS fumes every hour or so.
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What a weird notion. Printing with online services that use professional machines rather than cheapo home filament extruders? It's almost like you actually care about quality or something ;)
Um, ventilate? (Score:5, Insightful)
Doesn't every single printer and every single guide say to use in a well ventilated area for obvious reasons? You don't want to solder in a small office with no ventilation either.
Coming Attractions (Score:3)
If so, call us now for a free consultation. You don't pay a dime unless we win the settlement."
Yep, they're almost useful (Score:5, Insightful)
....must be time to ban them.
Here we go again ... (Score:3)
Whatever happened to all those claims of illness from photocopiers and laser printers? ... dust ... nanoparticles? Or those evil LASERs?
Was it ozone
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Everything is awesome! (Score:2)
That's MICROgrams, not grams... (Score:5, Insightful)
This is getting ridiculous. A moment's thought would make it obvious that the emission rates quoted in the summary are wrong by orders of magnitude. Are there even home printers today that can extrude as much as 180 g/min of material, never mind vaporize or aerosolize that much?
Re:That's MICROgrams, not grams... (Score:5, Informative)
All the measurements are in micrograms/min, if you look at the article.
I'm guessing the submitter pasted-in the text from the article without realizing the symbols would be dropped by ./ - preview is your friend.
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I woke up to go post me a quick story and then I thought somebody was barbecuing. I said oh lord Jesus it's a fire! Then I ran out. I didn't hit no preview or nothin'. I posted and ran for my life. And then the smoke got me. I got bronchitis. Ain't nobody got time for previewin'!
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A comment system from this century (ie that can fundamentally accept cut'n'paste text without choking like a cat on a hairball) would be a better friend, I'm thinking.
Obvious is obvious (Score:2)
Morans? (Score:2)
First step... (Score:3)
cheap activated carbon filter? anyone KNOW? (Score:2)
It seems like a cheap little activated carbon mesh filter in front of a small fan would take care of most of the particulates. Does anyone know of something like that, or something else cheap and easy, would significantly reduce the VOCs?
This being Slashdot, I'm sure some readers have a strong opinion and no clue, but I wonder if someone here actually knows about filtering o absorbing VOCs.
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Don't see a problem! (Score:2)
When you panic and regulate based on... (Score:5, Interesting)
what you can DETECT rather than what's actually significantly harmful, and without any tether to the reality of the relative risks, you will regulate everything and panic over everything eventually as technology gives you an ever-increasing ability to detect. This is one of the big problems with the EPA. When President Nixon created that agency, it merrily started regulating based on detection. A huge know-nothing portion of the population has now been raised in this anti-science omni-political activist environment falls for any shrieking by any group that points anything it chooses to, never knowing the truth about why a particular person or group decided to start whipping-up panic over a particular thing.
Example of this modern madness: Mankind has used mercury thermometers for centuries; they've saved more lives and advanced human understanding of the world more than any person could possibly quantify. Several years ago at a public school in Southern California, a student in a science class accidentally broke one in the lab - and the school had an evacuation and a HazMat team was called-in wearing full protection suits to clean-up the "toxic spill". There were weeping mothers on the evening news worried about the permanent harm their children might have suffered...
Odds that any person will be permanently harmed or killed by fumes from a 3D printer? Zero
Odds that a user of a 3D printer will be permanently harmed or killed by drugs, or alcohol, or base jumping, or a vehicular accident?
I leave it as an exercise for the reader to figure out what to worry about, and whether to panic over the next obnoxious moron trying to generate publicity and scare you into demanding the government control even more of your life.
But my 3d printer is (Score:2)
Really? Melting plastic is bad for you? (Score:2)
Offgassing (Score:1)
I think it was interesting that the bed (Score:2)
temperature had a bigger effect on particle emission than the extruder temperature.
http://pubs.acs.org/appl/liter... [acs.org]
This implies that a lot of particle emissions are coming from the bed/print interface. What would cause that?
I manage 6 of these machines all tucked into a not particularly well ventilated corner of a room at the makerspace. I'll be taking this seriously.
Cyanide & Happiness worthy? (Score:2)
[responds with a look of gritty determination:] "CANCER"
Ethernet Cables (Score:2)
I once came across a CAT5E cable with a warning that it contained lead and that I should wash my hands after handling it.
I didn't.