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Publication Number
US-10539550-B2
Publication Date
2020-01-21
Expiration Date
Abstract
The invention relates to methodologies of obtaining a controlled exposure of an aerosol to a model material. The invention also provides an exposure cap and a system for studying or predicting the interaction between a model material, e.g. a cell, and an aerosolized agent. The controlled exposure of the aerosol to the model material, makes is possible to accurately calculate the mass-balance of the aerosol exposure.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an aerosol exposure system and an exposure cap for obtaining a controlled exposure of a model material to an aerosol in a substantially sealed environment. A container is provided with the model material, and an exposure cap is inserted into the container to establish the sealed environment during the exposure.
A controlled aerosol flow is introduced to an upper part of the exposure cap and transported toward the surface of the model material with a flow rotating around a central axis of the exposure cap. The aerosol is admitted to contact the model material while the model material container is shielded from aerosol contact, and remaining aerosol is transported away from the model material surface in an axially upwards directed separate flow.
The system supports exposure studies with model materials such as an air-blood-barrier model, including arrangement of a perfusion tray and perfusion fluid to maintain an air-blood-barrier-like condition. Aerosol concentration detection and collection on exposure filters are used for concentration measurement and for mass-balance calculation of deposited dose.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim defines a method for obtaining a controlled exposure of a model material to an aerosol using an exposure cap that creates a substantially sealed environment, a rotating central-axis aerosol transport toward the model surface, shielding of the container from aerosol contact, and axially upwards separated removal of remaining aerosol. The claim family includes 4 inventive features, with dependent claims refining remaining-aerosol removal, flow-shear constraints, rotational-to-axial transformation and flow-rate decrease, and aerosol concentration detection, deposited-dose mass-balance, and an airway-blood-barrier-like perfusion model.
Sealed environment with exposure cap
Providing a container comprising the model material, and inserting an exposure cap into said container so as to obtain a substantially sealed environment during the exposure.
Rotating central-axis aerosol transport toward model surface
Introducing a controlled aerosol flow to an upper part of the exposure cap and transporting the aerosol towards the surface of the model material with a flow rotating around a central axis of the exposure cap.
Shielding container while admitting aerosol to model material
Admitting the aerosol to contact the model material, while shielding the model material container from aerosol contact.
Axially upwards separate flow for remaining aerosol removal
Transporting remaining aerosol away from the model material surface in an axially upwards directed separate flow.
The claims focus on using an exposure cap to form a substantially sealed exposure environment, generating a rotating flow around a central axis to drive controlled aerosol contact with the model surface while shielding the container, and diverting remaining aerosol away from the surface in an axially upwards separate flow, with dependent refinements for concentration detection, deposited-dose calculation, and an airway-blood-barrier-like perfusion arrangement.
Stated Advantages
Improved dose control.
Reduced losses to equipment/non-target surfaces.
Reduced test-article requirements for screening and prediction of deposition/absorption/metabolism.
Documented Applications
Controlled aerosol exposure of model materials including airway cell layers on permeable membranes in Transwell-type containers, including use of an air-blood-barrier model with perfusion-fluid mass-balance to determine deposited dose and dissolved or metabolized test substance in perfusate.
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