OPTIMIZING THE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS FOR THE AFFINITY OF 222Rn WITH CARBON FIBERS

Abstract

Radon (222Rn) is a member of the decay chain of 238U. It has been well documented that 222Rn is known to present a risk of lung cancer once inhaled. For practical implementation, this study makes use of activated carbon fibers (ACFs) to uptake 222Rn through environmental variations in the temperature, dosage of the adsorbent and circulate conditions. Here, three ACF samples were prepared via different carbonization and activation temperatures from 850 °C to 900 °C. The observed adsorption characteristics show that low temperature and high surface contact of an adsorbent with rich micropores allow the maximum adsorption of 222Rn. No such correlation was observed in the case of increasing the circulate conditions. However, there was a direct influence on the maximum adsorption capacity once the circulate conditions decreased. In summary, these findings expand the understanding of the adsorption, dependency on the factors and a proper carbonaceous-material design for reducing 222Rn.