Printer, the new Office killer!

Printer, the new Office www.thebeijingnews.com killer! · 8-12, 2007 7: 16: 40 ·

Source: Beijing News

The printer is the most basic office supplies.

It's fast, effective work, to contemporary economic and cultural activities provide important assistance. However, a new study suggests some laser printers that are potentially harmful dust pollution, its hazard potential and smoking.

Printer manufacturing dust environment

Currently, researchers in Australia Queensland University of technology is a new discovery, some laser printers will release the high concentration of small particles into the air.

"If the environmental conditions of poor ventilation, printer and in continuously operating situations, people are likely to be exposed to printer release of high-risk dust circumstances. " Study group members Liddy · morasca (LidiaMorawska) said. Their study published in this month's United States chemical society journal environmental science and technology law.

Research Group, said that the Office Printer produces a potential risk to the extent necessary warnings.

Survey, one third of the printer produces high concentration of small particles of dust. These dust to lung harm to tobacco.

Although researchers have not called for in the working environment prevents the printer, but they are exposed to high concentrations of small particles may be "great health threat".

Indoor pollution from

Scientific Group do the subject is entirely incidental.

Originally, scientists did not intend to study in this area, first, they want to prevent the Office from outside pollution of the effectiveness of ventilation systems resulted in the discovery, during working hours, Office of air dust quantity increased by five times. Subsequently, they found the dust sources, they do not come from the window, and unexpectedly from theInterior of the printer. "We were really didn't expect to find in indoor pollution sources, but soon found indoor pollution than outdoor pollution. " Liddy said," we will soon find the indoor pollution is the laser printer. ”

Liddy experiment of object is a block in the city centre, Brice equipped with large air conditioning equipment, good ventilation, completely non-smoking office building, floor, with 62 laser printer to emulate Office environment, she and her colleagues spent 48 hours, repeatedly monitor Office outside air particle concentration.

They first observation of the building, 4th floor, a relatively open space.

At this layer, the air conditioning equipment is placed in a central location, close to the floor, a printer and Windows and doors of at least 4 m distance. Results found that when the printer is busy operation during working hours, its ultra small particles produced by increased by five times. These dust is very small, can penetrate through the arteries and blood, causing or exacerbating respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Subsequently, the researchers continue to investigate a whole six-storey building of all 62 printer, there are 37 did not release harmful particles of air quality, 6 release small amounts of dust, two releases of secondary particles.

Radioactive fallout total number of printers up to 25 units, up 40%, which is 17 "high radiation" printer. And the release of dust levels in the highest one printer, the dust emission level can be compared with cigarettes.

The culprit is the toner

Why release dust printer? culprit should replace ink, toner cartridge is full.

When the toner cartridge is full, or when the print task list, the printer will free up more dust particles. But recently just changed toner printer than the recent release of the camera without swapping out more particles. In addition, when you print your pictures and photos, toner use also the most, so emissions will increase.

Toner particles are very small.

In fact, most of the dust is super small, no 0.1 microns in diameter. To be released into the air after 15 minutes can be inhaled. "Ultra small particles are the most should be concerned about, they can drill into the lungs, causing great harm to health. " Liddy said," these particles and cigarettes as large as the particles, into the lungs after harm is also the same. ”

"Because of these particles is extremely small, so they are very likely in the lungs and air bubbles, and stacked into vascular there.

" Liddy said.

"Obviously this is a problem.

" California Beckley national laboratory of epidemiological experts Mand (MarkMendell) said," particles as small as possible, because they are more in-depth pulmonary vascular even. "But he added that in spite of this, it cannot be said that manufacture dust pollution printer will certainly result in some health problems.

The manufacturer does not respond to

Who's on the news the most headache? of course is that major printer manufacturer.

However, there is no printer manufacturers to respond to this message. Results of this study, the scientists have called upon the Government authorities to take measures to reconcile laser printer. Scientists hope to have more research into the printer against, and appealed to the people using the printer should pay attention to the environment of ventilation.

Professor, University of California, Beckley horse hole (ThomasMckone) can know this is a dangerous thing, but consumers do not need to worry too much, apart from the dust,

There are many indoor produces small particles of potential sources, such as cooking, candles or fire, etc. "Obviously there is a long study on the way to go. " Liddy said, now the most critical step is to study these radiation out of granules. She said, when the scientists learned more information when necessary so they can interfere with manufacturers design more secure printers.

■ Link

Dust pollution cannot be ignored

Dust that floats in the air in diameter 10 microns or less of solids.

With 60 percent of the dust from the legacy of impurities after combustion, the main sources of pollution are the cars and power plants. The other 40 per cent of the dust from the work site, farms and highway, etc, especially auto brake and tyre wear caused by large amounts of dust.

Prior to that, the United States health effects Institute recently published a survey report shows, every day from cars, power plant emissions from a large number of small solid particles are elderly mortality and hospitalization rates increase.

However, relatively speaking, outdoor dust pollution more importance to the city's air pollution index has also been the respirable floats as a important metrics.

But pollution thoroughly。 but did not cause sufficient attention. In fact, many of our usual commonplace behavior or article, it might be the source of pollution thoroughly。 , and in turn, cause harm to human health. For example, many people are in the habit of indoor burning xianxiang. But the study found, xianxiang in combustion will result in a substantial increase in indoor dust concentration, easy to trigger asthma and allergic reaction, and is likely to damage the blood circulation system, air pollution and human health damage in no way inferior to cigarettes. In addition, because xianxiang during the manufacturing process may use benzene, formaldehyde, etc as additives and adhesive, which can produce more complex health hazards.

Compilation: Jin Yu