Preliminary Assessment of the Possible Environmental Risks of Photopolymerizing Resin Particles Produced by Finishing Stereolithography 3D-Printed Objects, Employing Toxicity Test on Tropical House Crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus)

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a rapidly growing field in industry. AM technologies include sintering, melting, and stereolithography. With steadily rising utilization, evaluating the environmental impact of AM materials has become essential, as these materials may act as emerging pollutants. Photopolymerizing resins (PRs) used in stereolithography can enter terrestrial ecosystems in polymerized and unpolymerized forms due to improper disposal. Insects are likely to be among the first organisms exposed to these contaminants in land ecosystems. This study evaluates the physiological effects of photopolymerizing resin particles (PRPs) produced via sanding on tropical house crickets (<i>Gryllodes sigillatus</i>) that were fed PRPs-contaminated agarose gels for 10 days. Effects were evaluated through mortality observations and enzymatic activity assays of cell transport mediating enzymes, digestive enzymes, and antioxidative stress enzymes. PRPs exposure caused sex-dependent differences in survival; an increase in amylase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and trypsin; and a decrease in alkaline phosphatase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activity, indicating molecular and cellular damage. PRPs' toxicity might be enhanced due to a sex-dependent pulverization capability exhibited by <i>G. sigillatus</i>. These findings underscore the potential ecological risks associated with PRPs in terrestrial environments and the need for further research on their environmental impact.