Efficient and multi-functional integrated iodine adsorption air filter for iodine aerosol purification

Radioactive iodine aerosols released during spent fuel reprocessing pose a serious threat to public health. At present most air filters hardly achieve efficient filtration performance and effective adsorption of radioactive iodine gas at the same time, therefore it is of great significance to develop a multifunctional air filter. Herein, a bismuth-modified silica nanofiber air filter (Bi@SNF) with highly efficient filtration of particulate matter (PM) and adsorption of iodine gas was constructed by combining electrospinning nanofibers and bismuth nanoparticles. The prepared air filter has attractive features such as high specific surface area, hydrophobicity, high efficiency filtration performance toward PM0.3 (99.26 %, 113 Pa), high iodine gas adsorption capacity (1040 mg/g), and excellent stability in humidity, high temperature, acidic, and irradiated environments, which enables the filter to effectively purify iodine gas and particulate matter from iodine aerosols. The successful synthesis of this multifunctional air filter (Bi@SNF) with excellent overall performance provides a new solution for the purification of iodine aerosols in reprocessing plants, with the potential for application in practical working conditions.