brhejoThe BRICS Health JournalThe BRICS Health Journal3034-47003034-4719Sechenov University10.47093/3034-4700.2026.3.1.50-63brhejo-107Research ArticleBiomedical EngineeringModeling spray and movement of microparticles of chitosan aerogels in the nasal cavityhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4208-7063UvarovaAnastasia A.

Anastasia A. Uvarova, Junior Research Fellow, Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering, D.I. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia

20, Bldg. 1, Struct. 2, Geroev Panfilovtsev str., Moscow, 125480

uvarova.a.a@muctr.ruhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7806-1426MenshutinaNatalia V.

Natalia V. Menshutina, Dr. of Sci. (Techn.), Head of Department, Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering, D.I. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia

20, Bldg. 1, Struct. 2, Geroev Panfilovtsev str., Moscow, 125480

D.I. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of RussiaRussian Federation202614082026315063Copyright © Uvarova A.A., Menshutina N.V., 20262026Uvarova A.A., Menshutina N.V.Uvarova A.A., Menshutina N.V.Данная работа распространяется под лицензией Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://www.bricshealthjournal.com/jour/article/view/107

Mathematical modeling methods and new approaches to evaluating drug properties and selecting delivery devices may reduce resource expenditure and improve the quality and speed of research.

Aim

Aim. To examine the dispersion of chitosan aerogel microparticles when administered into the nasal cavity using mathematical and computer modeling.

Materials and methods

Materials and methods. A virtual geometry of the nasal airways was modeled from computed tomography data processed in a 3D Slicer. The mathematical model that is used to analyze the dry microparticles spraying and movement was based on the mechanics of continuous and heterogeneous media and implemented using computational fluid dynamics. Calculations were performed in The ANSYS Fluent 17.0. Chitosan aerogel microparticles was chosen as the study object.

Results

Results. A virtual geometry of the nasal cavity was developed. Airflow hydrodynamics was studied to identify stagnation zones. Computational experiments were conducted on spraying dry chitosan aerogel microparticles from a dosing device. Agreement between the experimental and calculated data was shown. Airflow hydrodynamics with suspended chitosan aerogel microparticles was studied to determine the deposition zones in the nasal cavity. The optimal parameters for achieving the maximum proportion of microparticles (14.67%) deposited in the upper nasal cavity: the spray angle of the dosing device was 5°; the initial velocity was 6.95 m/s; the average diameter was 100 µm.

Conclusion

Conclusion. This study proposes an approach for modeling the dispersion, movement, and deposition of dry microparticles in the nasal cavity, enabling the selection of dosing device characteristics and optimization of drug formulations. This method may facilitate initial evaluation of samples to accelerate and improve the efficiency of pharmaceutical development.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.