<p>No.  Leaded brass is around 2 % lead and the wear is negligible. How much has your nozzle worn?</p>
<p>If your nozzle has worn from 0.4 mm to 0.5 mm over that year, there's maybe</p>
<p><span class="math-container">$$
((.5 mm/2)^2-(0.4 mm/2)^2)*3.14*1 mm*(8.73 gm/cc)/(1000 mm^3/cc)*0.02 = 12 ug
$$</span></p>
<p>of lead that has worn off. The lead exposure from that year of wear is very low compared to the allowable <span class="math-container">$50ug/m^3 air/8hours$</span> limit from <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/lead/limits.html" rel="noreferrer">OSHA/NIOSH</a>.  If the 12 ug had remained suspended as dust in your <span class="math-container">$1m^3$</span> printer enclosure and you breathed it for 8 hours/day, OSHA would be fine with it.</p>
<p>And most of the abraded nozzles would have been encapsulated in your parts rather than released into your environment.</p>
<p>If you were doing the machining on the nozzles, it might be more of a concern.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-21T09:09:34.567Z
That is why even printing parts for food use is no issue with brass nozzles.
FarO
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-07T22:02:31.640Z
2022-09-08T01:26:43.780Z
2022-09-08T01:26:43.780Z
Dave X
<p>I've read a couple articles recently about brass nozzles and found out they contain some lead. I've been 3d printing stuff for about a year and haven't really been mindful of this and so haven't washed my hands and stuff after every print or changing of the nozzle. I've never eaten or drank anything out of something I've printed to clarify.</p>
<p>Is the amount of lead brass nozzles enough to warrant stricter hand washing?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-08T14:08:39.593Z
Only if you're printing items for handling food, in which case you also have other more significant concerns to address.
Joel Coehoorn
<nozzle><safety><material>
Should I be worried about the lead in brass nozzles?
JamesM
# Should I be worried about the lead in brass nozzles?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-09-07)

I've read a couple articles recently about brass nozzles and found out they contain some lead. I've been 3d printing stuff for about a year and haven't really been mindful of this and so haven't washed my hands and stuff after every print or changing of the nozzle. I've never eaten or drank anything out of something I've printed to clarify.

Is the amount of lead brass nozzles enough to warrant stricter hand washing?

**Tags:** nozzle, safety, material
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Only if you're printing items for handling food, in which case you also have other more significant concerns to address.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-09-07. Score: 7

No. Leaded brass is around 2 % lead and the wear is negligible. How much has your nozzle worn?

If your nozzle has worn from 0.4 mm to 0.5 mm over that year, there's maybe

$$
((.5 mm/2)^2-(0.4 mm/2)^2)\*3.14\*1 mm\*(8.73 gm/cc)/(1000 mm^3/cc)\*0.02 = 12 ug
$$

of lead that has worn off. The lead exposure from that year of wear is very low compared to the allowable $50ug/m^3 air/8hours$ limit from [OSHA/NIOSH](https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/lead/limits.html). If the 12 ug had remained suspended as dust in your $1m^3$ printer enclosure and you breathed it for 8 hours/day, OSHA would be fine with it.

And most of the abraded nozzles would have been encapsulated in your parts rather than released into your environment.

If you were doing the machining on the nozzles, it might be more of a concern.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: That is why even printing parts for food use is no issue with brass nozzles.  

---

