Molecular communication-inspired particle collector-transmitter (PaCoT) for heavy metal removal from human circulatory system

This study proposes a novel molecular communication (MC)-inspired nanomachine, the PArticle COllector-Transmitter (PaCoT), designed for intrabody detection and removal of toxic heavy metal particles. PaCoT detects, collects, and transports these particles from the bloodstream to release sites, such as lymphatic capillaries, before they reach vital organs. The system incorporates key physical parameters and operates through particle reception, storage, and release mechanisms. Reception is modeled via ligand–receptor binding reactions as a continuous-time Markov process (CTMP), where metallothionein proteins serve as receptors and heavy metals (e.g., Zn, Pb, Cd) act as ligands. Toxicity is detected by estimating heavy metal concentration ratios based on receptor binding durations in the presence of interferers and multiple heavy metal types. Captured particles are stored in a liquid-filled chamber within PaCoT and released using a single-disc viscous micropump for advection, combined with Brownian motion for diffusion. PaCoT's performance is evaluated through MATLAB simulations, focusing on toxicity detection error probability, particle release time, and energy consumption.