Abstract

The health of miners working in underground mines is greatly threatened by their exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) found in coal dust. While coal dust includes RCS, it is important to know the specific filtration efficiency for RCS particles compared to coal dust to improve protective measures. This study compares the filtration efficiency of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite-incorporated Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous filters at four different concentrations of rGO (0, 2, 6, and 10 wt.%) for RCS particles and coal dust. The filters were made using the electrospinning method. They were tested separately with RCS particles and coal dust with particle sizes from 0.3 to 10 μm, within the respirable range, at various concentrations. Filtration effectiveness was evaluated using a particle counter. A dry dust aerosol generator, model 3410U, operating at 1–6 bar, was used to disperse particles. The results show that the rGO-PAN filters are almost equally effective in removing RCS particles and coal dust across all tested flow rates: 30, 50, and 80 L per minute (L min–1). Moreover, at a flow rate of 50 L min–1, the 6 wt.% rGO-PAN filters showed greater efficiency for both types of dust. This indicates their strong potential for targeting both silica and coal dust particles. This study provides useful insights for creating effective filtration systems to lower health risks linked to RCS exposure in underground mining settings.

Department(s)

Mining Engineering

Publication Status

Open Access

Comments

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Grant 84071101

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

2470-1343

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Final Version

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2026 American Chemical Society, All rights reserved.

Creative Commons Licensing

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Publication Date

31 Mar 2026

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