Gelatin/β-Cyclodextrin Bio-Nanofibers as respiratory filter media for filtration of aerosols and volatile organic compounds at low air resistance

Air pollution is a universal concern. The suspended solid/liquid particles in the air and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are ubiquitous. Synthetic polymer-based air filter media not only has disposal issues but also is a source of air and water pollution at the end of their life cycle. It has been a challenge to filter both particulate matter and VOC pollutants by a common biodegradable filter media having low air resistance. This study reports gelatin/beta-cyclodextrin composite nanofiber mats with dual function air filtration ability at reduced air resistance (148 Pa) and low basis weight (1 g/m(2)). Gelatin/beta-cyclodextrin nanofibers captured aerosols (0.3-5 mu m) with < 95% filtration efficiency at 0.029/Pa quality factor. They adsorbed great amount of xylene (287 mg/g), benzene (242 mg/g), and formaldehyde (0.75 mg/g) VOCs. VOC adsorption of gelatin/beta-cyclodextrin nanofibers is found several times higher than a commercial face mask and pristine powder samples. This study provides a solution for a 'green' dual function respiratory air filtration at low resistance. Gelatin/beta-cyclodextrin nanofibers also have the potential to filter nano-sized viruses.

Automated summary

This study introduces gelatin/beta-cyclodextrin composite nanofiber mats with dual function air filtration ability at reduced air resistance and low basis weight. The nanofibers can efficiently filter aerosols and adsorb harmful VOCs, providing a 'green' dual function respiratory air filtration solution at low resistance. Gelatin/beta-cyclodextrin nanofibers also show potential in filtering nano-sized viruses.