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8 4ȣ, December 2011
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ISSN : 1738-4125 (Print)
ISSN : 2287-7509 (Online)
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Characterization of airborne pollutants emitted from a laser printer
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Abstracts
The aim of this study was to compare the concentrations of airborne pollutants (i.e., PMs, TVOC, and ozone) released from a laser printer with a new and/or a refilled toner cartridge. Also we compared the concentrations before and after attaching a HEPA filter at the outlet of exhausted air for each printer.
PMs, TVOC, and ozone were released from all three different branded printers with both toner cartridges in accordance with their both a brand new and a used condition. For PMs, there were generally significant differences of concentrations between a brand new and used toner (p<0.05). Ozone level differences were found between a new and a refilled toner, but were not significant (p>0.05). For TVOC, there were significant differences of concentrations among brands, and toluene (3.46 mg/m3) only was identified. The overall 70% of reduction for PMsconcentrations occurred after attaching a HEPA filter(p<0.05), and these results were pronounced for TSP.
These results showed that similar levels of airborne pollutants were released from a laser printer with a new and a refilled toner cartridge. Also, these results indicate that the usage of a HEPA filter may be an effective method for reducing the released pollutants from a laser printer.
Keywords : Laser printer, Toner, Particle matters, Ozone