Mass Deposition from Inspired Polydisperse Aerosols

Abstract

Mass deposition of polydisperse hydrophobic aerosol particles in various regions of the human respiratory tract has been calculated using a semi-empirical deposition model and assuming lognormal particle size distributions. The effects of polydispersity, breathing mode (nose versus mouth breathing) breathing pattern, particle size and density upon mass deposition are discussed. Significant differences are found from the model predictions of the ICRP Task Group on Lung Dynamics (1966) and later ICRP recommendations. The influence of the geometric standard deviation of the size distribution upon mass deposition depends on particle size, and a simple explanation of this effect is introduced.