Watershed and Ecosystem Characterization Division, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, USEPA, RTP, NC 27711, United States of America.
Health and Environmental Effects Assessment Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, USEPA, RTP, NC 27711, United States of America.
Sci Total Environ. 2022 Mar 25;814:152622. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152622. Epub 2021 Dec 25.
Fused filament fabrication (FFF) or 3D printing is a growing technology used in industry, cottage industry and for consumer applications. Low-cost 3D printing devices have become increasingly popular among children and teens. Consequently, 3D printers are increasingly common in households, schools, and libraries. Because the operation of 3D printers is associated with the release of inhalable particles and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), there are concerns of possible health implications, particularly for use in schools and residential environments that may not have adequate ventilation such as classrooms bedrooms and garages, etc. Along with the growing consumer market for low-cost printers and printer pens, there is also an expanding market for a range of specialty filaments with additives such as inorganic colorants, metal particles and nanomaterials as well as metal-containing flame retardants, antioxidants, heat stabilizers and catalysts. Inhalation of particulate-associated metals may represent a health risk depending on both the metal and internal dose to the respiratory tract. Little has been reported, however, about the presence, speciation, and source of metals in the emissions; or likewise the effect of metals on emission processes and toxicological implications of these 3D printer generated emissions. This report evaluates various issues including the following: metals in feedstock with a focus on filament characteristics and function of metals; the effect of metals on the emissions and metals detected in emissions; printer emissions, particle formation, transport, and transformation; exposure and translation to internal dose; and potential toxicity on inhaled dose. Finally, data gaps and potential areas of future research are discussed within these contexts.
熔融沉积成型（FFF）或 3D 打印是一种在工业、家庭手工业和消费者应用中不断发展的技术。低成本的 3D 打印设备在儿童和青少年中越来越受欢迎。因此，3D 打印机在家庭、学校和图书馆中越来越普遍。由于 3D 打印机的操作会释放可吸入颗粒物和挥发性有机化合物（VOCs），人们担心可能会对健康产生影响，特别是在学校和住宅环境中，这些环境可能没有足够的通风，例如教室、卧室和车库等。随着低成本打印机和打印机笔的消费市场不断增长，各种带有添加剂的专用灯丝的市场也在不断扩大，例如无机颜料、金属颗粒和纳米材料以及含金属的阻燃剂、抗氧化剂、热稳定剂和催化剂。吸入与颗粒物相关的金属可能会带来健康风险，具体取决于金属本身和呼吸道的内部剂量。然而，关于排放物中的金属的存在、形态和来源，以及金属对排放过程的影响和这些 3D 打印机产生的排放物的毒理学意义，报道甚少。本报告评估了各种问题，包括以下方面：原料中的金属，重点是灯丝的特性和金属的功能；金属对排放物和排放物中检测到的金属的影响；打印机排放物、颗粒形成、传输和转化；暴露和转化为内部剂量；以及吸入剂量的潜在毒性。最后，在这些背景下讨论了数据差距和未来研究的潜在领域。
