Retention modeling of refractory ceramic fibers (RCF) in humans.

A mathematical retention model has been developed to predict the lung burden and size distribution of kaolin refractory ceramic fibers (RCF) in the pulmonary region of the human lung during exposure. Fiber dissolution, breakage, and differential clearance are considered in this model; rates for these processes are obtained by extrapolation from available data on laboratory rats. The lung burden predicted by this model is in general agreement with fiber counts from three factory workers. An important prediction from this study is that clearance of RCF is not significantly impaired at a fiber concentration beneath 10 f/cm3 during occupational exposure.