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The office printer could be posing as much danger to the lungs as a drag on a cigarette, according to air quality tests by Australian scientists.
An investigation of dozens of laser printers revealed that almost 30 per cent emit potentially dangerous levels of tiny toner-like material into the air.
These ultra-fine particles are capable of infiltrating the lungs and causing lasting damage on the scale of inhaled cigarette smoke, said researcher Professor Lidia Morawska, from the Queensland University of Technology.
"Ultra-fine particles are of most concern because they can penetrate deep into the lungs where they can pose a significant health threat," Professor Morawska said.
"These [printer] particles are tiny like cigarette smoke particles and, when deep inside the lung, they do the same amount of damage.
"The health effects from inhaling ultra-fine particles depend on particle composition, but the results can range from respiratory irritation to more severe illness such as cardiovascular problems or cancer."
The university's International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health tested 62 machines and found that 17 were "high particle emitters".
Tests on other office equipment showed that printers were the most significant source of particle concentrations in a typical office building.
The results are published in the American Chemical Society's Environmental Science and Technology journal.
The study, conducted in a large open-plan space, found indoor particle levels in the office air increased five-fold during work hours due to printer use.
Printers emitted more particles when the toner cartridge was new, and when printing graphics and images as they require greater quantities of toner, Prof Morawska said.
Emission levels varied a lot between different machine makes, models, printer age, cartridge model and cartridge age, she said.
The investigators say their results highlight a need for governments to regulate particle emissions from the machines.
"Governments regulate emission levels from outdoor devices such as vehicles, power stations and factories, so why not for printers?" she said.
The researchers advised office management to ensure rooms were well ventilated to allow the airborne particles to disperse.
- AAP
