Effects of NO aging on bismuth nanoparticles and bismuth-loaded silica xerogels for iodine capture.

The capture of long-lived radioactive iodine (I) from oxidizing off-gasses produced from reprocessing used nuclear fuel is paramount to human health and environmental safety. Bismuth has been investigated as a viable iodine getter but the phase stability of bismuth-based sorbents in an oxidizing environment have not yet been researched. In the current work, bismuth nanoparticle-based sorbents, as free particles (Bi-NPs) and embedded within silica xerogel monoliths made with a porogen (TEO-5), were exposed to I before and after aging in 1 v/v% NO at 150 °C.