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Volume 109
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Numerical investigation of lunar dust particle deposition in human terminal alveoli
Jintao Wang a, Bin Wu b c, Yuan Xue b c, Hao Jing a, Xinguang Cui a c *
a School of Aerospace Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
b China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 102200, China
c State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine, Bejing, 102200, China
10.1016/j.partic.2025.11.015
Volume 109, February 2026, Pages 75-85
Received 8 July 2025, Revised 1 November 2025, Accepted 13 November 2025, Available online 27 November 2025, Version of Record 20 December 2025.
E-mail: xinguang_cui@hust.edu.cn; xinguang_cui@mail.hust.edu.cn
Highlights

• The LD deposition is determined by activity levels, body posture, and its size.

• Parameter β characterizes DF of LD particles at varying activity levels.

• Body postures notably affect the deposition characteristics of LD particles.

• Deposition fraction of LD particles can be predicted using the equation developed by this work.


Abstract

To ensure the health and safety of astronauts during future manned lunar missions, it is critical to understand the transport and deposition of lunar dust (LD) particles in the terminal alveoli. This study employs computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to investigate the deposition characteristics of LD particles, considering factors such as particle size, activity intensity, and body posture. The key findings are: (1) The deposition characteristics of LD particles differ significantly across various activity intensities, with higher activity levels resulting in earlier onset and shorter duration of deposition. (2) The distributions and rates of deposited particles on the alveolar wall vary with different body postures. Specifically, transitioning from a head-up to a head-down posture leads to a reduction of 4.51 times in deposition time. (3) A predictive equation has been developed that effectively estimates LD particle deposition in the terminal alveoli by accounting for particle size, activity level, and body posture. In conclusion, LD particles display diverse deposition characteristics in the terminal alveoli, which can be accurately predicted using an appropriate fitting equation. The findings of this study may significantly enhance astronaut safety and well-being during future manned space exploration missions.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Terminal alveoli; Lunar dust; Particle deposition; Numerical simulation
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