You are here:
DISPOSITION OF MULBERRY POLLEN IN THE HUMAN RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS: A MATHEMATICAL MODEL
Citation:
Martonen, T. AND M. O'Rourke. DISPOSITION OF MULBERRY POLLEN IN THE HUMAN RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS: A MATHEMATICAL MODEL. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-94/065.
Description:
Inhaled particle deposition sites must be identified to effectively treat human airway diseases. e have determined distribution patterns of a selected aeroallergen, mulberry pollen, among human extrathoracic (ET: i.e., oronasopharyngeal) regions and the lung. redictive model validated by inhalation exposure data from human subjects was utilized. eposition locations were primarily functions of (i) mulberry particle parameters (geometric size, 11-18 um; shape, spherical; and density, 1.14 g cm-3), and (ii) mode of breathing. n the general population, two styles of inhalation are prevalent, normal augmenters (NAs) and mouth breathers (MBs). heir clinical definitions are based on intra-ET airflow divisions. or a NA-mode breathing sedentary (minute ventilation = VE 10 L min-1) adult, 93% of inhaled mulberry pollen was removed by the ET compartment and 7.5% collected within the lung. or a MB, the respective deposition efficiencies were 75% and 24.5%. To apply the model, we used a daily springtime mulberry pollen concentration of 1748 grains m-J and an exposure time of 0.5 hour to calculate actual doses for the respiratory system. nder the stipulated conditions, a MB would inhale 524 pollen grains per day and 128 would be deposited in the lung; the value is 39 grains for a NA- Preliminary epidemiological results suggest 15% of the study population are MBs in whom such pollen deposits are likely contributors to airway disease.