Modeling of Pharmaceutical Aerosol Transport in the Targeted Region of Human Lung Airways Due to External Magnetic Field

Abstract

Inhalation of aerosol is a substantiative technique for drug delivery in lungs. Aerosolized drug inhalation and delivery through oral and arterial routes plays an important role for the treatment of respiratory diseases. A precise understanding of the aerosolized drug transport and deposition in a specific site of a lung is important, as more than two thirds of the drug deposits in an unwanted location of the lung, thus largely failing to meet targeted delivery. The published in silico, in vivo and in vitro studies have increased knowledge about aerosol particle transport and deposition in human respiratory systems. However, the pharmaceutical particle deposition mechanisms in a targeted region of the lung airways, and the effect of controlling various parameters, are still not clearly understood. The present study aims to conduct a comprehensive numerical modeling of pharmaceutical particle transport and deposition processes in a target location of the lung. Aerosolized microparticle transport and deposition in a specific region of the lung airways is modeled using turbulence k–ω low Reynolds number simulation. A discrete phase model and Lagrangian particle tracking approach are applied for particle modeling. The Magneto hydrodynamics model is also implemented for modeling the magnetic driving force for particle deposition. The simulation for targeting aerosol particles delivery was conducted using the ANSYS Fluent 18.0 solver platform. The aerosolized particles are navigated to the targeted position under the influence of external magnetic force, which is applied in two different locations of the lung airways. The numerical results reveal that magnetic field strength (depends on magnetic number) deliberately enhances the overall deposition at the targeted positions. These findings can be utilized in developing improved efficient drug delivery systems in affected regions of the lung airways.