Similarity between man and laboratory animals in regional pulmonary deposition of ozone

Predicted pulmonary ozone (O3) dose curves obtained by model analysis of the transport and removal of O3 in the lungs of guinea pigs, rabbits, and man indicate that a general similarity exists among these species in the shapes of the dose curves. An overview of the major features of the lower airway mathematical model used is presented. This model predicts that the respiratory bronchioles receive the maximum O3 dose. For exposures corresponding to tracheal O3 concentrations greater than 100 micrograms/m3 (0.05 ppm), the predicted respiratory bronchiolar dose for rabbits was found to be twice that for guinea pigs and 80% of that for man. Sensitivity analyses are presented for model parameters relating to the treatment of the chemical reactions of O3 with the mucous layer. The role of tidal volume in the determination of pulmonary uptake of O3 in man is examined. The consistency and similarity of the dose curves for the three species lend strong support to the validity of extrapolating to man the results obtained on animals exposed to O3.