10th International Aerosol Conference September 2 - September 7, 2018 America's Center Convention Complex St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Toxicity of Particles Generated from a Consumer Fused Deposition Modeling 3d Printer Using Animal, Cellular and Acellular Models
QIAN ZHANG, Michal Pardo, Jenny P.S. Wong, Aika Davis, Marilyn Black, Yinon Rudich, Rodney J. Weber, Georgia Institute of Technology
Abstract Number: 1001 Working Group: Aerosol Toxicology
Abstract Studies have shown that fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printers designed for general public use emit high levels of ultrafine and fine particles. The potential toxicity of these particles was assessed through preliminary tests involving in vivo, in vitro cellular and acellular methods for particles generated by three different printer filaments. All methods showed toxic-related responses. Mice intratracheal exposure for 24 h showed inflammatory response as an increase of total cell count and influx of neutrophils in BALF. In vitro cellular assays showed a decrease in cell survival rates for both rat macrophages and human epithelial cells after 24 h exposure. 3D printer particles may produce oxidative stress responses as intracellular ROS generation was measured for both rat macrophages and human epithelial cells after 6 h exposures and the acelluar dithiothreitol (DTT) assay showed measurable levels of oxidative potential. There was consistency among the different tests. Particles generated from polylactic acid (PLA) filaments elicited similar levels of response as particles generated from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) filaments, despite much lower exposure concentrations of PLA. Although further testing is needed, the results suggest exposures to FDM 3D printer particle emissions should be minimized.