Particle and Chemical Emissions During Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) Using Commercial ABS- and PET-G-Based Filaments

Despite its advantages, 3D printing may expose users to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particle emissions. Emissions from commercially available acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)- and polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PET-G)-based filaments were analyzed to evaluate differences among material formulations from multiple manufacturers. Chamber-based measurements and complementary thermal decomposition experiments were used to characterize particle number concentrations and chemical emissions. The highest particle emissions occurred during the initial warm-up and the final stages of the printing process. The ABS-based filaments tested in this study exhibited higher VOC emissions, dominated by styrene (up to 264.75 μg/m3), and particle number concentrations approximately one order of magnitude greater than those measured for the tested PET-G-based filaments. The dominant particle sizes ranged from 55 to 90 nm. PET-G-based filaments showed higher thermal stability but emitted notable concentrations of acetaldehyde (up to 70.93 μg/m3) and phthalic acid esters. Both filament types released compounds of potential health concern, including formaldehyde and reprotoxic substances such as dibutyl phthalate and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. Differences were observed among fibers made from the same polymer type, indicating the influence of formulation-specific factors. These results underscore the importance of material selection and adequate ventilation to minimize exposure during 3D printing.