Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Lung-Deposited Surface Area (LDSA) Concentrations, Related to Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) in Underground Mines

Abstract

Diesel particulate matter (DPM) presents a significant occupational health risk in underground mining environments due to confined geometries, continuous diesel emissions, and complex ventilation-induced airflow patterns. Conventional exposure assessment methods rely on mass-based, time-weighted averages, which do not adequately capture spatial variability or represent the biologically relevant dose associated with particle deposition in the respiratory system. This study investigates the spatial distribution of DPM within a mechanically ventilated underground mine drift and examines the relationship between particle mass fraction and lung-deposited surface area (LDSA) as a health-relevant exposure metric. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to simulate airflow, pollutant transport and assess hazard mapping, with DPM represented as a passive scalar and subsequently converted into BC concentration and LDSA. The results reveal pronounced spatial heterogeneity in pollutant distribution, governed by ventilation-induced flow structures. Recirculation zones near the emission source were identified as regions of elevated concentration and increased exposure risk, while ventilation reduced pollutant levels non-uniformly along the drift. A non-linear reduction in concentration was observed, with limited dilution near the source and more effective transport further downstream. The findings demonstrate that exposure risk in underground mines is highly location-dependent and influenced by both airflow dynamics and vertical position.

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