DOI: 10.60752/102376.29137193.v1
title: Research data on particle and volatile organic compound emissions from 3D printing

description: <b>Introduction</b>3D printing as an emerging technology has been widely used in industrial, educational and residential setups. However, 3D printing can be a source of ultrafine particles and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) indoors.<sup>1-3</sup> Exposure to the mixture of these contaminants could induce short- and/or long-term adverse health effects.<sup>4-6</sup> Therefore, it is important to understand the emission characteristics from 3D printing. Chemical Insights, a unit of UL Research Institutes, has conducted research initiatives on characterizing particle and VOC emissions from 3D printing. To increase data transparency and share useful information, these research data are made available to stakeholders such as researchers, educators, and general public who may need 3D printing emission data.<b>Methods</b>Emission characterization followed the standard method of ANSI/CAN/UL 2904 using validated exposure chambers.<sup>7</sup> Particle size and concentration were measured using scanning mobility particle sizers and optical particle sizers for 7 nm to 10 µm particles. VOCs were collected on Tenax® TA (60/80 mesh) sorbent tubes and then thermally desorbed and analyzed by thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS) following the US EPA Methods TO-17<sup>8</sup> and TO-1<sup>9</sup>. Individual VOCs were quantified using multi-point calibration curves with authentic standards if available. Total VOC (TVOC) was the sum of toluene equivalent response in C<sub>6</sub> to C<sub>16</sub> range. Low-molecular-weight carbonyls (aldehydes) samples were collected on 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) cartridges and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) following EPA Method TO-11A<sup>10</sup>. The laboratory quality program enables the accuracy of the identification and quantification of analyzed VOCs and aldehydes. Emission rates of particle and VOCs were calculated according to ANSI/CAN/UL 2904.<sup>7</sup> Details of measurement and calculation methods can be found in peer-reviewed publications.<sup>1-3</sup><b>Database</b>This database includes particle and VOC emission rate data for various fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing conditions, such as filament type, filament material, filament brand, printing with and without filtration. Specifically, particle emissions are separated into small size (7 to 300 nm), large size (0.3 to 10 µm), and total emissions. VOC emissions were cross-checked according to indoor air quality related references and those VOCs with adverse health impacts were highlighted with health-related classifications. Both particle and VOC emission rates can be compared to maximum allowable emission criteria.<sup>7</sup> In addition, a sub-database focusing on VOC emissions only provides an overview on VOC emission data. This sub-database includes both FFF and vat photopolymerization 3D printing technologies and provides summarized data to compare VOC emissions among commonly applied 3D printing conditions. Overall, this database will be useful for manufacturers, users, educators, researchers and others who are involved in 3D printing to understand the basic facts of 3D printing emissions, potential hazards associated with 3D printing, variation of emissions for given printing conditions, and the emission criteria from ANSI/CAN/UL 2904. This data will further help planning and designing of exposure mitigation strategies. <b>Please see </b><b>ULRI_3DP_NOTE file</b><b> for details of data dictionary</b>. <b>Data portal</b>The data portal provides an interactive way of viewing and screening data by selecting the parameters of interest. Users can download the data as needed. Particle and VOC emission data can be found here.The consolidated VOC emission summary can be found here.<b>References</b>Zhang, Q.; Wong, J. P.S.; Davis, A. Y.; Black, M. S.; Weber, R. J. Characterization of particle emissions from consumer fused deposition modeling 3D printers. <i>Aerosol Sci. Tech. </i><b>2017</b>, <i>51</i>(11), 1275-1286. https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2017.1342029.Davis, A. Y.; Zhang, Q.; Wong, J. P. S.; Weber, R. J.; Black, M. S. Characterization of Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Consumer Level Material Extrusion 3D Printers. <i>Build. Environ.</i> <b>2019</b>, <i>160</i>, 106209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.106209.Zhang, Q.; Black, M. S. Exposure Hazards of Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted from Material Extrusion 3D Printing: Consolidation of Chamber Study Data. <i>Environ. Int.</i> <b>2023</b>, <i>182</i>, 108316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.108316.Zhang, Q.; Pardo, M.; Rudich, Y.; Kaplan-Ashiri, I.; Wong, J. P. S.; Davis, A. Y.; Black, M. S.; Weber, R. J. Chemical Composition and Toxicity of Particles Emitted from a Consumer-Level 3D Printer Using Various Materials. <i>Environ. Sci. Tech.</i> <b>2019</b>, <i>53</i>(20), 12054-12061. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b04168.Barnett, LMA; Zhang, Q.; Sharma, S.; Alqahtani, S.; Shannahan, J.; Black, M.; Wright, C. 3D printer emissions elicit filament-specific and dose-dependent metabolic and genotoxic effects in human airway epithelial cells. <i>Frontiers in Public Health</i> <b>2024</b>, <i>12</i>, 1408842. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1408842.He, X.; Barnett, L. M.; Jeon, J.; Zhang, Q.; Alqahtani, S.; Black, M.; Shannahan, J.; Wright, C. Real-Time Exposure to 3D-Printing Emissions Elicits Metabolic and Pro-Inflammatory Responses in Human Airway Epithelial Cells. <i>Toxics</i> <b>2024</b>, <i>12</i>, 67. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12010067.ANSI. ANSI/CAN/UL 2904:2023 Standard Method for Testing and Assessing Particle and Chemical Emissions from 3D Printers. <b>2023</b>. American National Standards Institute: Washington DC, USA.US EPA. Compendium of Methods for the Determination of Toxic Organic Compounds in Ambient Air Second Edition Compendium Method TO-17 Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds in Ambient Air Using Active Sampling Onto Sorbent Tubes, 1999.US EPA. Compendium of Methods for the Determination of Toxic Organic Compounds in Ambient Air - Second Edition. Compendium Method TO-1 Method for the Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Ambient Air Using Tenax® Adsorption and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS), 1999.US EPA. Compendium of Methods for the Determination of Toxic Organic Compounds in Ambient Air Second Edition Compendium Method TO-11A Determination of Formaldehyde in Ambient Air Using Adsorbent Cartridge Followed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), 1999.<br>