An investigation on the respiratory deposition of respirable coal mine dust using Mobile Aerosol Lung Deposition Apparatus (MALDA)

This study aims to improve the understanding of respirable coal mine dust (RCMD) particle deposition in the lungs to enhance health and safety measures in coal mining environments. Using the Mobile Aerosol Lung Deposition Apparatus (MALDA) and a wind tunnel, experiments were conducted under simulated mining conditions to evaluate how particle characteristics influence deposition patterns during airflow and activity similar to that of mine workers. The experimental results followed a trend similar to the conventional International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) lung deposition curve but showed higher particle deposition in the gas exchange region, likely due to differences between moving and still air conditions. Irregular coal dust particle shapes may also contribute to the observed discrepancies. The study confirms that smaller particles tend to penetrate deeper into the alveolar region, increasing the risk of developing coal mine dust lung diseases (CMDLDs), including coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). These findings provide valuable insights into lung deposition dynamics under realistic mine-like airflow conditions.