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U.S. Department of Energy
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Characterizing adult human nasal airway dimensions

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:54833
Respiratory tract models used in calculating radiation dose from exposure to inhaled radioactive aerosols have only recently focused attention on the importance of the nasal airways (NAs). Because the NAs are the first tissues of the respiratory tract available for aerosol deposition in normally nose-breathing people, any deposition of aerosol in this anatomical structure will reduce the amounts available to be deposited in the remainder of the respiratory tract. Thus, uncertainties in estimating the deposition fractions in the NAs will propagate throughout the remainder of the respiratory tract, creating errors in the calculated dose estimates. Additionally, there is evidence that the NAs are also at risk for induction of cancer from exposure to certain occupational aerosols such as wood dust, leather dust, chromium, and nickel. The purpose of this investigation was to conduct an anatomical study to assess the variabilities in NA dimensions.
Research Organization:
Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Inst., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Inhalation Toxicology Research Inst.
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76EV01013
OSTI ID:
54833
Report Number(s):
ITRI--144; ON: DE95007526
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English