In fact, the particles released during the 3-in-1 printing process, though small, are enough to penetrate deep into the lungs, thus affecting indoor air quality and public health. In addition, 3-in-1 printers are now widely used in the manufacture of masks, respirators, and other personal protective equipment (PPE), among other things, thus creating a new level of urgency.
The base materials used in 3-in-1 printers include thermoplastics, metals, nanomaterials, polymers, and volatile and semivolatile organic chemicals, and the printing process can take several hours, during which time a range of chemical byproducts and particles can be released into the indoor environment. Given these unknowns, scientists have begun to study these releases and their specific composition, particle size, and residence time in the indoor environment, resulting in data that can be incorporated into reliable exposure and risk assessments.