# An Experimental Study of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions from a Resin 3D Printer to Assess Exposure and Exposure Mitigation

## TL;DR

This study examines VOC emissions from a 3D printer using different resins and evaluates how exposure can be reduced with ventilation and distance.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific VOCs emitted by different resins and evaluates practical mitigation strategies for real-world exposure.

## Key findings

- Elastic resin emitted a greater diversity of VOCs, including isobornyl acrylate.
- TVOC concentrations in enclosed chambers exceeded 128,000 μg/m³, but dropped to 45–116 μg/m³ in ventilated rooms.
- Using an extraction hood or increasing distance reduced TVOC emissions by 71–84%.

## Abstract

Recent increases in the popularity of affordable 3D printers
necessitate
research to investigate the potential volatile organic compound (VOC)
exposure that an operator would experience. VOC emissions from a Formlabs
Form 2 were tested using four different resins (Clear, White, Tough,
and Elastic) across several time-resolved tests and exposure scenarios:
an enclosed test chamber, and within a ventilated room at two distances,
with an extraction hood to investigate “real-world”
exposure scenarios and the impact of mitigation methods. 2-Hydroxypropyl
methacrylate, 3-hydroxypropyl methacrylate, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate
were the prominent VOCs emitted from the resin 3D printing process,
among other acrylic-based compounds. The composition of the VOCs was
dependent on the type of resin: Elastic resin emitted a greater diversity
of compounds, including the previously unreported isobornyl acrylate,
while Tough resin emitted higher concentrations of smaller cross-linking
compounds such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. VOC emissions peaked
at the end of the active printing process when the build plate rose
from the liquid resin bed. In the enclosed chamber scenario, total
VOC (TVOC) concentrations exceeded 128,000 μg/m3,
representing worst-case poorly ventilated conditions. Under realistic
room conditions, TVOC concentrations reached 45–116 μg/m3 at 50 cm from the printer and returned to baseline within
2 h after printing ended. The TVOC emission concentrations were significantly
reduced by 71–84% when the distance between the printer and
the sampling position was increased from 0.5 to 2 m, or when an extraction
hood fitted with a carbon VOC filter and particulate HEPA filter was
used. These two exposure mitigation methods were considered practical
options for home users, “maker” communities, and schools
to use. While individual VOC concentrations remained well below established
workplace exposure limits, many identified compounds lack published
safety guidelines, making health risk assessment challenging, and
both their acute and chronic health impacts remain unknown.