Aerosol Deposition in the Human Lung at Variable Tidal Volumes: Calculation of Fractional Deposition

Abstract

The calculation of fractional aerosol deposition in the human lung and methods for correction of breath-by-breath deposition data for inequalities in tidal volume are discussed. Three different methods are considered. Steady state and wash-in curves are used to evaluate methods presented herein. Plots of breath-by-breath deposition data against the ratio of volume exhaled to volume inhaled give linear plots of similar slope for a range of steady state breathing patterns for both 0.5- and 1.2-μm particles. Semiempirical algebraic correction factors are found to be suitable for analysis of wash-in curves.