Quantifying Ultrafine Particle Exposure and the Effectiveness of Mitigation Strategies for 3D Printers in Various Operating Environments
TIANYUAN LI,
University of Waterloo Abstract Number: 14
Working Group: Control and Mitigation Technology
AbstractOver the past decade, 3D printers have gained popularity because of their ability to create intricate designs and affordability. However, their usage raises concerns about indoor air quality degradation. Many previous studies reported that operating 3D printers generates ultrafine particles (UFPs) that can cause adverse health effects, and their emission rates and composition can vary substantially depending on the machine model, printing temperature and filament type. This study uses Monte Carlo simulations to quantify the UFP concentrations with a wide range of emission rates reported in the literature for three scenarios: home offices, library printer rooms, and fabrication spaces. The effectiveness of mitigation measures, such as portable air cleaners with HEPA filters (PAC) and direct exhaust hoods, was also evaluated. The results show that a typical home office can reach a mean UFP concentration of 116,100/cm3 (std. dev. = 247,700) after just one hour of printing. Utilizing an appropriately-sized PAC recommended by AHAM can reduce the UFP concentration by 66%, although the resulting concentration is still four times the typical indoor level. The simulated concentrations are lower in library printer rooms (mean = 24,400/cm3, std. dev. = 42,000) and fabrication spaces (mean = 14,900/cm3, std. dev. = 22,000) because of the larger room volume and higher mechanical ventilation rates. The use of PAC in the printer room or exhaust hood in the fabrication space can further reduce the mean concentrations by 75.1% and 48.9%, respectively. However, higher ventilation and/or exhaust rates can also shift the origin of indoor UFPs from the 3D printers to outdoor sources (up to 97%), which is concerning for regions with elevated ambient UFP concentrations. This study demonstrates that 3D printers could substantially increase UFP exposure, suggesting that mitigation measures such as PACs, exhaust hoods, and potentially personal protective equipment should be considered to minimize the potential harm.