Modeling regional deposited dose of submicron aerosol particles

• Modeling can accurately estimate deposited dose of aerosol particles in the respiratory system.
• Hygroscopicity of inhaled particles is an important factor in calculations of deposited dose.
• Most likely, adult males receive higher deposited dose than adult females.
• The pulmonary/alveolar region received the largest fraction of the deposited dose.
• The deposited dose received on workdays is high because the exposure level is high.

We developed a simple model to calculate the regional deposited dose of submicron aerosol particles in the respiratory system. This model incorporates measured outdoor and modeled indoor particle number size distributions, detailed activity patterns of three age groups (teens, adults, and the elderly), semi-empirical estimation of the regional deposition fraction, hygroscopic properties of urban aerosols, and reported breathing minute volumes. We calculated the total and regional deposited dose based on three concentration metrics: particle number (PN), mass (PM), and surface area (PSA). The 24-h total deposited dose of fine particles in adult males was around 40 μg (57 × 109 particles, 8 × 102 mm2) and 41 μg (40 × 109 particles, 8 × 102 mm2) on workdays and weekends, respectively. The total and regional 24-h deposited dose based on any of the metrics was at most 1.5 times higher in males than in females. The deposited dose values in the other age groups were slightly different than in adults. Regardless of the particle size fraction or the deposited dose metric, the pulmonary/alveolar region received the largest fraction of the deposited dose. These values represent the lowest estimate of the deposited dose and they are expected to be higher in real-life conditions after considering indoor sources of aerosol particles and spatial variability of outdoor aerosols. This model can be extended to youngsters (< 12 years old) after gaining accurate information about the deposition fraction inside their respiratory system and their breathing pattern. This investigation is foreseen to bridge the gap between exposure and response in epidemiological studies.