Location
Havener Center, Miner Lounge / Wiese Atrium, 9:30am-11:30am
Start Date
4-2-2026 9:30 AM
End Date
4-2-2026 11:30 AM
Presentation Date
April 2, 2026; 9:30am-11:30am
Description
This project investigates the potential interaction between radon exposure and e-cigarette aerosols, focusing on how radon progeny deposit in the lungs under combined conditions. An experimental system was developed to simulate regional lung deposition based on the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) model. The setup uses a filter-based design and a custom modular atomizer to generate stable aerosols, with four commercial plastic filters evaluated. Initial results demonstrate reproducible filtration behavior and a total deposition pattern matching ICRP predictions within 21% error. Ongoing work aims to improve agreement with regional deposition curves and enable combined radon–aerosol exposure experiments. This platform provides a controlled method to study deposition mechanisms relevant to radiological health risks and may also support future applications in inhalation drug delivery.
Biography
Manuela Arenas is a graduate research assistant and M.S. student in Nuclear Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology, with a background in chemical engineering. Her research focuses on aerosol transport and deposition, particularly modeling lung deposition using International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) frameworks. She is currently investigating the interaction between radon progeny and e-cigarette aerosols through the development of experimental filter-based systems that replicate regional lung deposition. Her work integrates experimental design, aerosol science, and radiological health physics to improve understanding of inhalation risks. Manuela’s broader interests include environmental health, nuclear waste management, and the application of engineering models to public health challenges.
Meeting Name
2026 - Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference
Department(s)
Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science
Document Type
Poster
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
event
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2026 The Authors, All rights reserved
Included in
Assessing radon and radon progeny deposition on simulated lung filter system: effects of cigarette and e-cigarette use based on the ICRP model
Havener Center, Miner Lounge / Wiese Atrium, 9:30am-11:30am
This project investigates the potential interaction between radon exposure and e-cigarette aerosols, focusing on how radon progeny deposit in the lungs under combined conditions. An experimental system was developed to simulate regional lung deposition based on the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) model. The setup uses a filter-based design and a custom modular atomizer to generate stable aerosols, with four commercial plastic filters evaluated. Initial results demonstrate reproducible filtration behavior and a total deposition pattern matching ICRP predictions within 21% error. Ongoing work aims to improve agreement with regional deposition curves and enable combined radon–aerosol exposure experiments. This platform provides a controlled method to study deposition mechanisms relevant to radiological health risks and may also support future applications in inhalation drug delivery.
Comments
Advisor: Carlos Henry Castano Giraldo, castanoc@mst.edu