Long term fume exposure

Printing ABS.

I had my printers in a room with the window open and a fan going, but I could still smell fumes in my other room when it was printing.

Most of the articles I have read just said "print with the window open and a fan and you'll be fine" but after three years of this I'm starting to wondering if I've poisoned myself.

I have now moved to a new house and my printers are in a room that is sealed and I do not enter without a full face mask.

But how much damage did I do to myself in the meantime?

Anyone here have chronic ABS fume exposure? For how long? Any effects you have noticed?

“Fumes produced during the melting processing, may cause eye, skin, and respiratory tract irritation, and if overexposed, could cause nausea and headache.” from [ss.whiteclouds.com]

I‘m printing ABS for 8 years now and have not noticed anything

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[www.bonkers.de]
[merlin-hotend.de]
[www.hackerspace-ffm.de]

Chemical desensitization does not mean there is no problem.

your making assumptions that it is Chemical desensitization vs no reaction at all. There is not enough information here to make that deduction.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2019 10:30PM by Dust.

I guess we wait for his autopsy then

[3dprintingindustry.com]

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"A comical prototype doesn't mean a dumb idea is possible" (Thunderf00t)

All I care about here is not getting cancer.

I have had no acute effects, and any acute effects are so minor compared to something like cancer.

Do we have any data on anything like that?

[www.theguardian.com]?

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]

Quote
the_digital_dentist
[www.theguardian.com]?

May be dirtier than Delhi but smells a LOT BETTER !

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"A comical prototype doesn't mean a dumb idea is possible" (Thunderf00t)

I was using ABS exclusively for a couple of years as I've always preferred it to PLA. After long print sessions I would have slight headaches the following day. Printing in a small apartment without a good ventilation probably wasn't a good idea. It maybe unrelated. I use PETG for the most part now.

[www.theguardian.com]

Ok, this gave me a good laugh. Perhaps I'm overthinking it.

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Shank man
I was using ABS exclusively for a couple of years as I've always preferred it to PLA. After long print sessions I would have slight headaches the following day. Printing in a small apartment without a good ventilation probably wasn't a good idea. It maybe unrelated. I use PETG for the most part now.

Sorry to hear about the headaches.

I print *only* in a sealed room now, and the room vents to the outside. If I go in the room, I wear a full face mask.

Have you noticed any long term health effects from your ABS printing time?

What is a "full face mask" and how do you know it's doing anything? Is it a N95 respirator, properly fitted?

Most (all?) of the amateur attempts to scrub 3D printer exhaust of fumes and particles are based on incomplete understanding of the problem, and almost none (none?) of them have any measurements to verify that their devices are doing what they hope they are doing. Better than nothing... maybe. Effective at preventing whatever long-term problems may come from breathing 3D printer exhaust? Who knows?

What are the long-term effects of breathing 3D printer exhaust? No one knows.

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]

Looking at some product, in fact an outdoor GPS, I saw this link posted as part of the description !!! (may be because it uses plastic ?)

[www.p65warnings.ca.gov]

They should know in CA !

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"A comical prototype doesn't mean a dumb idea is possible" (Thunderf00t)

Quote
the_digital_dentist
What is a "full face mask" and how do you know it's doing anything? Is it a N95 respirator, properly fitted?

Most (all?) of the amateur attempts to scrub 3D printer exhaust of fumes and particles are based on incomplete understanding of the problem, and almost none (none?) of them have any measurements to verify that their devices are doing what they hope they are doing. Better than nothing... maybe. Effective at preventing whatever long-term problems may come from breathing 3D printer exhaust? Who knows?

What are the long-term effects of breathing 3D printer exhaust? No one knows.

I'm using a 3M respirator, well fitted, with 60923 cartridges.

I can no longer smell the fumes when wearing the mask, so I think it's helping somewhat.

Quote
foul_owl
[www.theguardian.com]

Ok, this gave me a good laugh. Perhaps I'm overthinking it.

I often wonder this. We have been told that our PLA is just colored corn starch, so we think "harmless" and go happily on our way.
BUT, you know, when grad students start looking for things to do, someone always rains on the parade!
[onlinelibrary.wiley.com]

To be fair, I have noticed that I get a sore throat when I hang out in a room with several printers pumping out PLA parts. Because all that I have read says that the only unhealthy aspects of the PLA printer process are the particulate matter in the air, I simply wear a standard dust mask, the kind you'd wear when doing wood working to keep dust out of your nose and throat.
That took care of my problem.

DLC

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Kits: Folgertech Kossel 2020 upgraded E3Dv6, Anet A8 upgraded E3Dv6, Tevo Tarantula enhanced parts and dual-head, TronXY X5SA Pro(E3DHemera).
Scratch: Large bed Cartesian, exchangeable heads, Linear slide Delta, Maker-Beam XL Micro Delta, 220x220CoreXY.

... PLA is not only PLA! - it's blended with several additives to set/change the colour, thermal and physical parameters ... most of them not disclosed ... and normally not tested for health issues ...

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

I now use an air cleaner/purifier with HEPA and carbon filters. It auto detects micro particles and turns on automatically. When printing a longer print in PLA, the indicator light turns red indicating the air quality is very bad. After an hour after printing the smell is gone and the indicator turns blue (clean air).
It definitely helps with stinging eyes and a slight irritation in the lungs and throat. The slight headache can also be caused by the constant noises my printer makes (a bit louder than average, because of nema23 stepper motors). It also helps with pollen and smoke from fires (Easter fires).
But since the air filter is there I notice an improvement. Having the window completely open isn't always an option (too cold, too hot (airco on), rain, noise from outside etc).

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Kind regards
Imqqmi

NFAN CoreXY printer:
[reprap.org]

Quote
imqqmi
I now use an air cleaner/purifier with HEPA and carbon filters. It auto detects micro particles and turns on automatically. When printing a longer print in PLA, the indicator light turns red indicating the air quality is very bad. After an hour after printing the smell is gone and the indicator turns blue (clean air).
It definitely helps with stinging eyes and a slight irritation in the lungs and throat. The slight headache can also be caused by the constant noises my printer makes (a bit louder than average, because of nema23 stepper motors). It also helps with pollen and smoke from fires (Easter fires).
But since the air filter is there I notice an improvement. Having the window completely open isn't always an option (too cold, too hot (airco on), rain, noise from outside etc).

Do you have recommendations for HEPA filters? I would love to use one of these in my lab.

thanks,
DLC

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Kits: Folgertech Kossel 2020 upgraded E3Dv6, Anet A8 upgraded E3Dv6, Tevo Tarantula enhanced parts and dual-head, TronXY X5SA Pro(E3DHemera).
Scratch: Large bed Cartesian, exchangeable heads, Linear slide Delta, Maker-Beam XL Micro Delta, 220x220CoreXY.

I have personally experienced "dry cough" when I was working in the same room than my printer and it was PLA and PETG only.

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[github.com] - #BearUpgrade

Quote
dlc60

Quote
imqqmi
I now use an air cleaner/purifier with HEPA and carbon filters. It auto detects micro particles and turns on automatically. When printing a longer print in PLA, the indicator light turns red indicating the air quality is very bad. After an hour after printing the smell is gone and the indicator turns blue (clean air).
It definitely helps with stinging eyes and a slight irritation in the lungs and throat. The slight headache can also be caused by the constant noises my printer makes (a bit louder than average, because of nema23 stepper motors). It also helps with pollen and smoke from fires (Easter fires).
But since the air filter is there I notice an improvement. Having the window completely open isn't always an option (too cold, too hot (airco on), rain, noise from outside etc).

Do you have recommendations for HEPA filters? I would love to use one of these in my lab.

thanks,
DLC

Update:
I got a HEPA air filter for my print room it made a huge difference. Mine is a Wagner Switzerland H883. Lots of settings and it tells you when the air is not good and when it thinks that it is. This has improved the air in my print room and not surprisingly, reduced the amount of dust I see on tabletops. Spend the money, get a good room air cleaner.

DLC

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Kits: Folgertech Kossel 2020 upgraded E3Dv6, Anet A8 upgraded E3Dv6, Tevo Tarantula enhanced parts and dual-head, TronXY X5SA Pro(E3DHemera).
Scratch: Large bed Cartesian, exchangeable heads, Linear slide Delta, Maker-Beam XL Micro Delta, 220x220CoreXY.

Do not think that because you can't smell anything there's nothing there to harm you. Carbon monoxide is one of thousands of compounds that are odorless and harmful to inhale.

This problem is far more complicated than most people realize.

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]

Quote
the_digital_dentist
Do not think that because you can't smell anything there's nothing there to harm you. Carbon monoxide is one of thousands of compounds that are odorless and harmful to inhale.

This problem is far more complicated than most people realize.

What you breathe outside of your house is killing you. I can't do everything, but I can do something.

DLC

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Kits: Folgertech Kossel 2020 upgraded E3Dv6, Anet A8 upgraded E3Dv6, Tevo Tarantula enhanced parts and dual-head, TronXY X5SA Pro(E3DHemera).
Scratch: Large bed Cartesian, exchangeable heads, Linear slide Delta, Maker-Beam XL Micro Delta, 220x220CoreXY.