LungDepo: modelling the regional particle deposition in the human lung via the Enalos Cloud platform

Abstract

This work presents the development of LungDepo, a freely accessible online web application hosted on the Enalos Cloud platform (https://enaloscloud.novamechanics.com/proplanet/lungdeposition or https://enaloscloud.novamechanics.com/insight/lungdeposition/), which enables users to simulate particle deposition in the human lung across the head airway, the tracheobronchial and the alveolar (pulmonary) regions based on the aerodynamic diameter of inhaled particles. The LungDepo web-based tool offers two modelling approaches: the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) model and the multiple path particle dosimetry (MPPD) model, to simulate regional particle deposition and assess inhalation toxicity risk. In addition to modeling the fractional regional particle deposition based on the two implemented models, LungDepo offers the computation of the regional deposited mass (mg) and the computation of the regional lung surface area covered by deposited particles (m²) providing statistical analyses of the relative contributions of coarse (2.5–10.0 micron), fine (<2.5 micron) and ultrafine (<0.1 micron) particles. The web-based tool includes predefined modelling scenarios for various particle-bound substances or co-pollutants such as polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and micro-sized engineered materials, along with provision for the inclusion of user-defined particle size distributions. The integration of an application programming interface (API) and the development of an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) facilitate data exchange and integration with external environmental and regulatory toxicity models by simplifying complex tasks and broadening the tool's applicability for diverse users in environmental research, monitoring, and regulatory activities.