在於面產產業中，引入雷射切割技術作為切割工具已成為多功能光學膜或相關產業進一步降低成本的重要一步。在過去五年中，由於雷射切割在於成本管理上之有效性與製程生產的可行性皆獲得正面的結果，雷射切割已成為薄膜電晶體液晶顯示器產業（Thin film transistor liquid crystal display, TFT-LCD）中使用的光學膜切割的重要解決方案之一。然而，關於在雷射切割過程中釋放的空氣污染物之危害物質及其特性以及控制措施，卻鮮少被研究與探討。雷射切割過程中釋放的空氣污染物的異味，也直接的使現場作業同仁感到無法忍受，也對於長期暴露於該情況下之健康影響，感到憂慮。迄今為止，使用雷射切割光學膜塑料過程中產生之勞工暴露評估結果及異味物質方面探討，尚未有相關的研究報導。
本研究為第一個探討了雷射切割光學膜塑料過程中所產生之內分泌干擾物（Endocrine Disruptors, EDs）、懸浮微粒（Particulate Matters, PMs）及異味物質之空氣污染物及暴露評估研究。為有效辨別污染物貢獻，本研究先以光學膜生產製造產業中最主要的塑膠膜基材 – 聚碳酸酯(Polycarbonate, PC)與聚對苯二甲酸乙二酯(Polyethylene terephthalate, PET)作為雷射切割研究之主要標的。本研究以鄰苯二甲酸酯（Phthalate Esters, PAEs）和多環芳烴（Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, PAHs）作為EDs之污染物之指標污染物；以醛酮化合物(Carbonyl compounds) 酚類化合物(Phenols compounds) 作為異味物質污染物之指標污染物。
研究結果指出，雷射切割塑膠之功率對於其產生之雷射切割空氣污染物（Laser Generated Air Contaminant, LGAC）濃度有顯著的影響。隨著雷射切割功率的提升，所產出之空氣污染物濃度亦隨之增加。在於EDs之探討，於PAE空氣樣本中僅鄰苯二甲酸二（2-乙基己基）酯 （Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, DEHP）於雷射切割PC塑膠膜基材和PET塑膠膜基材的LGAC中被鑑別出。在於低功率（80W）、中等功率（160W）及高功率（240W）的PC和PET雷射切割情況下，氣相之LGAC採樣樣本中皆可偵測出DEHP；但在於LGAC粒狀樣本中，除了雷射切割於低功率條件下切割運作，中等功率及高功率皆無法檢測出DEHP。隨著雷射切割功率的增加，PMs和PAHs的濃度亦增加。本研究亦發現，在雷射切割過程中，PC比PET逸散出更多的DEHP，但雷射切割PET卻比PC釋放更多的PAHs。針對於異味物質之探討，240W之雷射切割PC產生高濃度的酚類化合物（1.56 mg/m3），而從240W之雷射切割PET產生高濃度的醛酮化合物（20.3 mg/m3）。若沒有足夠的保護情況下，距離雷射切割機一公尺之雷射機台作業員，操作240W之功率下切割PET，將暴露到2.74 mg/m3之甲醛，超過2.4毫mg/m3的規範標準。N95型活性炭口罩可以有效地將濃度降至0.07 mg/m3。然而，口罩的研究結果顯示，口罩僅能將濃度降至1.88 mg/m3至2.2 mg/m3之間，若在於口罩與呼吸防護具的選擇錯誤或配戴不適切的情況下，將仍有超過暴露標準之風險。相比之下，有效的安裝局部排氣系統可以有效去除塑料雷射切割製程中所產生的氣體物質達99％。

The introduction of lasers as a cutting tool has become an important step in achieving further cost reductions in the multi-functional optical film industry. During the past five years laser cutting has been identified as one of the solutions for converting and shaping the plastic films used in the Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) industry due to its positive effects on cost management. However, there has been quite limited information available with regard to the hazards of the air pollutants released during the laser cutting process, and in particular in relation to the real operations in a factory. The fumes produced during laser cutting causes an annoying and often unbearable odor in the working environment. To date, little research has been reported in terms of the worker exposure assessment and odorous substances generated in the process of cutting plastics with lasers.
This study firstly investigated the worker exposure assessment of Endocrine Disruptors (EDs), Particulate Matters (PMs), odorous substances emitted during the laser cutting process and the protection efficiency of the odorous substances when a laser is used to cut polycarbonate (PC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the primary base materials used in optical film industry. Phthalate Esters (PAEs) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the representative of the EDs in this research; carbonyls and phenols are the representative of the odorous substances in this research
The results indicate that the power of the laser and type of plastic significantly affect the composition of air pollutants. The concentrations of studied substances increased with the power of the laser. In terms of the EDs, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) of PAEs was identified in the Laser Generated Air Contaminants (LGACs) from both Polycarbonate (PC) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) films. DEHP was detected in the gas-phase LGACs of PC and PET at low, medium and high power (80 W, 160 W, 240 W), but not detected in the particle-phase LGACs of PC and PET, except when the laser was operated at a low power setting. With the laser power increased, the concentrations of PMs and PAHs also increased. This research found that during laser cutting PC released more DEHP than PET, but PET released more PAHs than PC. In terms of the odorous substances, a 240 W laser produced a high concentration of phenols (1.56 mg/m3) from PC and a high concentration of carbonyls (20.3 mg/m3) from PET. Without adequate protection and within a one-meter distance, laser cutting PET at the 240 W power level would expose machine operators to 2.74 mg/m3 of formaldehyde, which exceeds the regulatory standard of 2.4 mg/m3. An N95 valved active carbon respirator can effectively reduce this concentration to 0.07 mg/m3. However, the result of the masks studies could only reduce concentrations to between 1.88 mg/m3 and 2.2 mg/m3, which barely meet the related regulatory standards if the mask selection and wearing is inadequate. In contrast, the installation of local ventilation alone can effectively remove as much as 99% of the gaseous substances produced in the laser cutting of plastics.

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