CFD as a tool in risk assessment of inhaled radon progenies.
During the last decade, computational fluid dynamics techniques proved to be a powerful tool in the modelling of biological processes and the design of biomedical devices. In this work, a computational fluid dynamics method was applied to model the transport of inhaled air and radioactive particles within the human respiratory tract. A finite volume numerical approach was used to compute the flow field characteristics and particle trajectories in the lumen of the first five airway generations of the human tracheobronchial tree, leading to the right upper lobe. The computations were performed for breathing and exposure conditions characteristic of uranium mines and homes. Primary radon daughter deposition patterns and energy distributions were computed, exhibiting highly inhomogeneous particle and energy deposition patterns. The results of the present modelling effort can serve as input data in lung cancer risk analysis.
Farkas
Arpád
A
KFKI Atomic Energy Research Institute, 1525 Budapest, P.O. Box 49, Hungary. farkasa@sunserv.kfki.hu
Hofmann
Werner
W
Balásházy
Imre
I
Szoke
István
I
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000336:Aerosols / Q000009:adverse effects; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000009:adverse effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000528:radiation effects; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D018499:Linear Energy Transfer / Q000528:radiation effects; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D017687:Radon Daughters / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012212:Rheology / Q000379:methods
D000336:Aerosols; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D017687:Radon Daughters