CFPD simulation of magnetic drug delivery to a human lung using an SAW nebulizer

Targeted drug delivery is an impressive topic that attracted the attention of many scientists in various scientific communities. Magnetic drug targeting is one of the targeted drug delivery techniques, which uses the magnetic field to externally control the magnetic drug particles. In this study, we aim to assess the magnetic drug delivery to the human respiratory system using a new aerosolization technique driven by surface acoustic waves (SAWs) into a realistic lung model geometrically reconstructed using computed tomography scan images. To achieve this aim, a simulation study using computational fluid-particle dynamics considering the Lagrangian approach for particle tracking is carried out. An external magnetic field was applied to govern the Magnetit (Fe₃O₄) particles as the magnetic drug career. The drug particles were assumed to be spherical and inert. The effects of magnetic field intensity, magnetic source position, and SAW injection position were examined for a light breathing condition (Q = 15 L/min). Given the realistic geometry of the respiratory system and its complexity, the airflow patterns vary as it penetrates deeper into the lung and experiences many irregularities, and bending deflections exist in the airways model. High-inertia particles tend to deposit at locations where the geometry experiences a significant reduction in cross section. Our results show that the magnetic field highly affects the particle deposition efficiency for fourfold. However, the magnet and SAW injection positions have a low impact on the deposition efficiency of drug particles.