Research & Development

The full research paper evaluates the feasibility and safety risks of using 3D-printed Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (RPET) for hydroponic agriculture systems. It identifies that the slightly acidic, circulating water environments of hydroponics accelerate material degradation, presenting two primary hazards: the mechanical shedding of microplastics from the porous striations of 3D-printed layer lines, and the chemical leaching of toxic catalysts like Antimony due to hydrolytic and photochemical stress. To address these risks of phytotoxicity and potential food chain bioaccumulation, the study outlines essential post-processing engineering interventions—such as high-density printing, thermal annealing, and food-grade epoxy encapsulation—that stabilize the RPET components and safely enable a circular, self-sustaining household economy.