3D Printing - What are VOCs?

Last Updated: June 21ST, 2021

Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) within the domain of additive manufacturing are pollutants released from the manufacturing material (filament, resin, powder, and etc). These are the same chemicals released from automobile emissions, paint, solvents, adhesives, insulation, furniture, incense, and YES even the new car smell.

Quick Facts:

VOCs are heavier than air and sink to the floor
Concentrated exposure can cause mild symptoms but some will increase cancer risk
Printing at higher temperatures emits more VOCs and particulates
Using an enclosure decreases the particulate emission rate but increases VOC emission rates
SLA resin is detrimental to the environment and should be regarded as toxic waste
The exact health risks associated with SLA resin are not known due to proprietary formulas and the lack of research regarding safety

Example - FormaldehydeBoiling Point: -6° F (-21° C) Gaseous at Standard Atmosphere

Formaldehyde is naturally produced in all living organisms and is used in countless consumer products. It is extensively regulated and typical exposure to the chemical is well within safety limits. However, 3D Printing is a manufacturing process and exposure levels are increased. Non-consistent use of entry level filaments with a single printer is unlikely to lead to the onset of symptoms in regards to formaldehyde emissions. Poor ventilation, multiple printers, industrial filaments, close proximity, and continuous use are factors that can contribute to the onset of symptoms.

Formaldehyde Concentration mg/m³	Identifier
0.00125	Human Breath
0.0025	Outside Air
0.01	Chronic (lifetime exposure >364 days) Minimal Risk Level (MRL) by CDC
0.025	Indoor Air
0.0375	Intermediate (lifetime exposure 15-364 days) MRL by CDC
0.05	Acute (lifetime exposure 1-14 days) MRL by CDC
0.03-0.09	Level in 100ft² Room - Internal Tests on Filaments (PLA/PETG/ABS)
0.125	Onset of Respiratory Irritation by OSHA
0.191	Peak Level Inside Chamber With PLA
0.625	Potential Cancer Hazard by OSHA
1.25	Jet Exhaust
11.25	Car Exhaust

FFF/FDM Risks

Experimental data is compiled to provide a sense of the safety regarding specific filaments. Very few research studies have been dedicated towards determining the overall safety of additive manufacturing, and the ones that have been conducted are typically focused on entry level materials. More research will be needed on exotic materials to determine their safety.

Common VOCs in Entry Level 3D Filaments₁
Emitted Substance	Example Filaments₂	Emission Rate mg/min	Average Level mg/m³	Peak Level mg/m³	Tolerable Exposure Levels 24 Hours	Tolerable Exposure Levels 4 Hours	Notes₃
Caprolactam	Nylon, ABS, PC, PETG	0.183	1.102	3.078	0.3	0.3	Irritant
Styrene	ABS, HIPS	0.113	0.681	2.479	0.25	1.5	Irritant/Reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen
Tetrachloroethylene	PLA, ABS, PC	0.0055	0.03	0.13	0.01	0.06	Reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen
Formaldehyde	PLA, ABS			0.191	0.1	0.1	Irritant/Known to be a human carcinogen
Methyl Methacrylate	PLA	0.0065	0.039	0.29	0.11	0.11	Irritant
Lactide	PLA	0.005	0.03	0.089		0.3

₁Danish Environmental Protection Agency; Risk Assessment of 3D Printers and 3D Printed Products
₂Stephens B, Crain N, Pouzet C, Zhao D, Azimi P; Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volative Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop 3D Printers with Multiple Filaments
₃US Department of Health and Human Services, National Toxicology Program; 14th Report on Carcinogens

Example Filament Comparisons to PLA
Filament	Particulate Generation Rate	Example Emissions
PLA	1x	Methyl Methacrylate
PC	4400x	Toluene
PETT	100x	Caprolactam, Styrene
Flexibles (ie: TPU)	3.5x	Toluene, Phenol
Colorfabb HT	1100x	2,4,4-Trimethyl-2-Pentene
BambooFill	0.5x	Methyl Methacrylate
Nylon Co-polymers	8x	Caprolactam

SLA Risks

The primary SLA dangers involve inhalation and skin contact. The issue of skin sensitization is well known throughout the industry, and it is a symptom that is easily diagnoseable. For fumes, concentrated short term exposure results in only mild symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and throat irritation. The long-term effects are unknown.

Take Action

CDC Hierarchy of Controls — Source: CDC/NIOSH - Does not imply endorsement by the CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hierarchy/default.html

Sources

http://www.rjchase.com/ptfe_handbook.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2020-115/pdfs/2020-115.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB2020115
http://built-envi.com/portfolio/ultrafine-particle-emissions-from-3d-printers/
https://formaldehyde.americanchemistry.com/Formaldehyde-Occurs-Naturally-and-Is-All-Around-Us.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK138711/
https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/formaldehyde-factsheet.html
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Formaldehyde#datasheet=LCSS
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mrls/mrllist.asp#39tag
https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp111-c2.pdf
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/formaldehyde/formaldehyde-fact-sheet
https://www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/formaldehyde/

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