https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-026-07290-8
Regular Article
Quantifying lung dose from inhaled radon progeny using computational fluid dynamics
Department of Physics (LICPM), Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, B.P. 523, 23000, Beni-Mellal, Morocco
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Received:
6
August
2025
Accepted:
2
January
2026
Published online:
17
February
2026
Abstract
Inhalation of radon gas and its radioactive decay products is a major natural source of radiation exposure for humans. The radioactive solids created by radon decay are composed of fine particles that can penetrate deep into lung tissues and pose significant respiratory health risks. The mechanisms of particle deposition from inhaled radon progeny are important for evaluating their health effects. This study used computational fluid dynamics simulations to characterize the patterns of radioactive deposition in the human lung and provide an estimate of the effective doses from exposure to radon progeny. Three distinct breathing scenarios were simulated: light activity breathing (15 L/min), resting breathing (30 L/min), and heavy exertion breathing (60 L/min) under continuous inhalation conditions. The findings indicate that large particles primarily deposit in the upstream branches of the upper respiratory bifurcation and that the deposition efficiency of the large particles increases as the inhalation flow rate increases, as higher flow rates invoke stronger inertial forces. This study presents a thorough investigation of airflow velocity profiles and particle deposition patterns in the respiratory system. Dose conversion factors (DCF) were obtained for various breathing conditions based on the calculated deposition efficiencies. The DCF values ranged from 6.62 to 11.35 mSv WLM⁻1 for particle-attached and 3.48–4.68 mSv WLM⁻1 for unattached particles. These results are in good agreement with ICRP reference values (5.4–10.6 mSv WLM⁻1) and WHO guidelines (10 mSv WLM⁻1), supporting the method and providing useful information for radiation protection programs.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2026
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
