Biokinetic modeling of nanoparticle interactions with lung alveolar epithelial cells: uptake, intracellular processing, and egress

Studies on health effects of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in the lung have provided information on ENM toxicity and translocation across airway and alveolar epithelial barriers. Various inhaled ENMs (e.g., gold and iridium nanoparticles) have been reported to partially cross the air-blood barrier in the lung, enter the vasculature, and distribute in several end organs, including the heart, liver, spleen, and kidney. Using an in vitro primary rat alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) monolayer model, we reported transport rates of relatively nontoxic polystyrene nanoparticles (PNPs), which appear to be taken up via nonendocytic processes into AECs. PNPs internalized into cytoplasm then trigger autophagy, followed by delivery of PNPs from autophagosomes into lysosomes, from where PNPs are exocytosed. We used the data from these experiments to perform biokinetic modeling that incorporates the processes associated with internalization and intracellular distribution of PNPs, autophagy, lysosomal exocytosis of PNPs, and several putative mechanisms of action that extend our previous understanding of AEC processing of PNPs. Results suggest that entry of PNPs into AECs, subsequent activation of autophagy by cytosolic PNPs, accumulation of PNPs in lysosomes, and lysosomal exocytosis are interwoven by proposed regulatory mechanisms.

Sizing of a decentralized wastewater treatment unit supported by biokinetic modeling

Decentralized wastewater systems treat, dispose and reuse the wastewater in the vicinity of source, reducing the sewage transportation cost to minimal. As an alternative to centralized systems it can function as a satellite system or an individual wastewater treatment unit. Design an onsite facility applies the same sizing procedure compared the conventional large scale systems, whereas the input flow data and its variability, the model parameters could differ. In this study a small size treatment unit was designed by biokinetic modeling, where the model parameters were estimated using analytical methods. As a result of the calculation the biomass build-up and the quality of the treated effluent was predicted and the operation parameters were determined in summer and winter operation.

Four-stage biofilm anaerobic–anoxic–oxic–oxic system for strengthening the biological treatment of coking wastewater: COD removal behaviors and biokinetic modeling

Biokinetic models of high-strength coking wastewater with a high chemical oxygen demand (COD) was efficiently treated by a novel pilot-scale four-stage biofilm anaerobic–anoxic–oxic–oxic (FB-A2/O2) system.