Sustainable 3D bioprinting: environmental evaluation of advanced polymers scaffold manufacturing for biomedical applications

In recent decades, 3D printing technology has revolutionized numerous fields, from industrial manufacturing to regenerative medicine. 3D bioprinting, in particular, stands out as one of the most promising innovations, combining additive manufacturing with tissue engineering to create complex biological structures. This technology enables the fabrication of functional tissues and organs using living cells, biomaterials, and bioactive molecules, opening new possibilities for personalized medicine and scientific research. 3D bioprinting has already demonstrated its potential in numerous application fields. In regenerative medicine, for instance, it is possible to create cartilage, bone, and skin tissues to treat injuries and diseases. Additionally, 3D bioprinting offers new opportunities for pharmaceutical research, enabling the creation of human tissue models to test the efficacy and safety of drugs. Despite the rapid technological progress, quantitative environmental assessments of 3D bioprinting remain limited. Addressing this gap, in this study, 3D bioprinting technology has been evaluated through a comparative analysis focused on energy consumption, using a conventional manufacturing process as a reference. The comparison aims to provide preliminary insights into the environmental implications of 3D bioprinting. The results highlight the potential of this technology to reduce energy demand in specific processing phases, suggesting directions for future, more comprehensive sustainability assessments.