Web application for particulate matter deposition quantifier: an easy and accessible tool for assessment while
Gustavo Oneda1, Carlos Eduardo Arantes Barretto2, Nicolas Vanz3
1Physical Effort Laboratory, Sports Center (LAEF), Environmental Condition and Endurance Performance Analysis Unit, Sports Center (UACAMDA), Sports Center-Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianopolis, Brazil; National Institute of Research in Sports Science and Nutrition (INPCEN), Research Center IX, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
|December 7, 2025
Summary
A new tool, PM-Quantifier, quantifies particulate matter (PM) deposition during exercise. It uses user data and exercise parameters, confirming that ventilation and duration are key factors in PM exposure.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health Science
- Computational Toxicology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Particulate matter (PM) exposure during physical activity poses health risks.
- Quantifying inhaled PM deposition during exercise is crucial for exposure assessment.
- Existing methods for PM deposition calculation are often complex and not user-friendly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a user-friendly, web-based tool named "PM-Quantifier" for quantifying particulate matter deposition during exercise.
- To provide a sustainable and accessible platform for calculating PM deposition based on individual and exercise-specific parameters.
- To assess the tool's accuracy and utility for scientific research and public health applications.
Main Methods:
- Development of a web-based tool utilizing open-source technologies and a mathematical model for particle deposition.
- Integration of user inputs (age, height, sex, particle concentration) and exercise parameters (minute ventilation or heart rate, duration).
- Validation through cross-checking with a reference Python script and extensive testing with a Monte Carlo Method-generated dataset (n=20,000).
Main Results:
- The PM-Quantifier tool was successfully developed, tested, and hosted on an institutional server for accessibility.
- Regression analysis indicated that minute ventilation (V˙ E) and exercise duration were the primary drivers of total particle deposition (explaining >99% of variance).
- Functional tests confirmed the tool's alignment with scientific knowledge on air pollution and particle deposition during exercise.
Conclusions:
- The PM-Quantifier is a validated, user-friendly tool for quantifying particulate matter deposition during exercise.
- The tool is accessible via desktop and mobile devices, serving both the scientific community and the general population.
- Findings reinforce the significant impact of ventilation and exposure duration on inhaled particle deposition during physical activity.
