Abstract
In the nearly saturated human respiratory tract, the presence of water-soluble substances in inhaled aerosols can cause change in the size distribution of particles. This consequently alters the lung deposition profiles of the inhaled airborne particles. The magnitude of particle deposition in the lung is affected by the soluble component present in the particle. This is estimated by a numerical model. The model solves the condensation growth equation to determine the size evolution of respirable particles within the human respiratory tract. The water uptake by the particles in the respiratory tract results in change of size and density of the particles, and these changes are incorporated for estimating the particle deposition efficiency. The model results are compared with experimental results of sodium chloride particles. The model reproduces the major features of the experimental data. The simulations indicate that the particle can grow up to two times or more of its original size due to water uptake, depending on the quantity of the soluble matter it carries and thus can have significant effect on particle deposition efficiency. The study investigated the effect of soluble compounds in estimating total and regional lung dose of ambient particulate matter measured in Mumbai, India. The particle mass size distribution and composition considered for the ambient particulate matter, the variation in the total mass dose due to the growth was modest. But, the regional lung dose was significantly affected by the hygroscopic growth.
Highlights
IntroductionKnowledge of the behavior and fate of the inhaled aerosols in the human respiratory system have important applications in the field of inhalation toxicology
Inhalation is the predominant exposure pathway to anthropogenic airborne pollutants
The particles are initially crystalline, and growth is calculated under typical lung conditions of temperature and relative humidity (Ta = 37 ̊C, RH = 99.5%)
Summary
Knowledge of the behavior and fate of the inhaled aerosols in the human respiratory system have important applications in the field of inhalation toxicology. Deposition site and dose of inhaled particles in the lungs are important for assessing the toxic effects of inhaled particulate matter. Changes in the size of the particles in the respiratory tract can influence the deposition pattern of the particles in the lungs. The uptake of water vapor by soluble components of airborne particles is a possible pathway for changes in the particle size distribution. The presence of water-soluble or hygroscopic compounds in the atmospheric aerosols can modify the size distribution at high humidity levels in the respiratory tract. The near-saturation conditions in the respiratory tract promote vapor transport between air in the airway lumen and hygroscopic particles
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