Determination of Particle Deposition Velocity Onto the Human Eye

Studies have been performed on the deposition of airborne particles onto the human eye. A mannequin with sticky transparent foils covering its eyes is exposed to particles of fused alumina in a wind tunnel. The size distribution of the airborne particle is simultaneously measured with an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer. The particles on the foils are counted and measured with an optical microscope connected to an image analyzer. Deposition velocities have been determined for particles with aerodynamic diameters over the range 2 to 32 μm with different orientations of the mannequin to the wind direction at an air velocity of 1 m/s. The deposition velocity is in the order of 0.01 cm/s