Laser Printer Usage Raises Safety Concerns

US researchers have tested laser printers and found that some release particles at concentrations comparable to highly polluted highways.

Researchers at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health Center for Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology assessed 11 commonly used laser printers to find out if they emit nanoparticles during use, and if these particles are harmful. The Center examines the potential risks and benefits of nanoparticles, to see how they interact with the body and the environment.

Center Director and associate professor of aerosol physics, Philip Demokritou, said, “With so many products going ‘nano’, safety assessments are needed to safeguard public health. There is a lack of data on the potential release of these nanomaterials into the air during consumer use, and their possible environmental health hazards.”

The researchers developed an exposure generation system to monitor and assess emissions during use. Since toners are not usually required to show nanoparticles on product labels, the researchers had to confirm if nanoparticles indeed were present in current formulations. When tests proved positive, the researchers measured the impact on the body and enviroment.

Further experiments in Demokritou’s lab found that exposure to the particles caused several unfavorable biological responses at the cellular level, some of which related to the development of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

In view of the findings, researchers recommend that laser printers be placed in well-ventilated areas, and that users leave the room during large print jobs.

Demokritou and his colleagues do not want the tests to create fear about nanotechnologies. Demokritou says consumers simply need to be educated about nanotechnologies to assess risks and develop responsibility.

Sandra V. Pirela, post-doctoral research fellow in the Department of Environmental Health, stated, “This study could start the conversation with regulators on establishing safety guidelines for nano-enabled products. It may also encourage laser printer manufacturers to integrate hardware corrective measures to eliminate the release of nanoparticles during printing.”

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