Inhalation of asbestos fibers leads to a suite of fatal diseases that can manifest years, if not decades, after cessation of exposure. The first phase of disease progression occurs as fibers are transported from point of entry in the lungs throughout the entire body. A mathematical model is developed for the disposition of non-chrysotile asbestos in the body and, except for exposure levels, is parameterized by published data on short-term rat experiments. Asbestos exposure in individual humans is determined by matching published long-term lung data for nine patients. The resulting model predicts transport of fibers within the lymphatic system and prevalence of fibers in lymph nodes for these patients with reasonable accuracy. Model predictions for remote organs are compared against published observations. The model consists of a system of globally stable differential equations, and a sensitivity analysis was conducted. The model indicates that fiber density in lymph nodes is correlated with total exposure, level times duration, no matter whether there is a long-term, low-level exposure or short-term, high-level exposure. The model predicts that levels of sequestered asbestos reach steady state within five years of cessation of exposure, a timeline previously not known. The model suggests that the time to steady state is short compared to onset of disease, and that delayed onset of related disease may be a function of chemical and biological processes not in this model.

吸入石棉纤维会导致一系列致命疾病，这些疾病在停止接触后可能会持续数年甚至数十年。疾病进展的第一阶段发生在纤维从肺部进入点运输到整个身体时。为体内非温石棉的处置开发了一个数学模型，除了暴露水平外，还根据已发表的短期大鼠实验数据进行参数化。通过匹配已发布的 9 名患者的长期肺数据来确定个体人类的石棉暴露情况。由此产生的模型以合理的准确性预测淋巴系统内纤维的运输和淋巴结中纤维的流行率。将远程器官的模型预测与已发表的观察结果进行比较。该模型由全局稳定微分方程组组成，并进行了敏感性分析。该模型表明，淋巴结中的纤维密度与总暴露量、水平乘以持续时间相关，无论是长期低水平暴露还是短期高水平暴露。该模型预测隔离石棉的水平在停止接触后的五年内达到稳定状态，这是以前未知的时间表。该模型表明，与疾病发作相比，达到稳定状态的时间较短，并且相关疾病的延迟发作可能是该模型中没有的化学和生物过程的函数。水平乘以持续时间，无论是长期低水平暴露还是短期高水平暴露。该模型预测隔离石棉的水平在停止接触后的五年内达到稳定状态，这是以前未知的时间表。该模型表明，与疾病发作相比，达到稳定状态的时间较短，并且相关疾病的延迟发作可能是该模型中没有的化学和生物过程的函数。水平乘以持续时间，无论是长期低水平暴露还是短期高水平暴露。该模型预测隔离石棉的水平在停止接触后的五年内达到稳定状态，这是以前未知的时间表。该模型表明，与疾病发作相比，达到稳定状态的时间较短，并且相关疾病的延迟发作可能是该模型中没有的化学和生物过程的函数。