• Resources Recycling
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.20-25
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• 2022

In this study, the applicability of microalgae was evaluated for eco-friendly decontamination of cesium-137 (Cs-137) and strontium-90 (Sr-90), which are radioactive nuclides contained in radioactive waste. The monolithic radioactive solution used in the experiment was manufactured at a concentration of 1.5 Bq/mL Cs-137 and 1.0 Bq/mL Sr-90 by diluting a standard radioactive solution and distilled water. This experiment used two types of microalgae, Chlorella Vulgaris was used for Sr-90 decontamination and Hematococcus pluvialis for Cs-137 decontamination. The experimental method is to put the microalgae cultured for 2 weeks into a bottle with a semi-permeable membrane, and then put the bottle in which the microalgae was put into the manufactured radioactive solution, so that the microalgae and the radioactive solution react through the semi-permeable membrane for 48 hours. For the radioactivity concentration analysis of each sample, a gamma-ray nuclide analyzer was used for Cs-137, a γ-ray isotope, and a Liquid Scintillation Count(LSC) was used f or Sr-90, a β-ray isotope. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that about 88.0 % of Cs-137 and about 89.7 % of Sr-90 could be decontaminated, and about 98.6 % of Sr-90 was finally able to be decontaminated by the two-stage decontamination method.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.178-182
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• 1992

Spent PWR fuel rods have been scanned axially and sectionally to measure the relative gamma-ray intensity of Cs-137 and then bumups of the scanned rods determined by measuring Nd-148 which has been chemically separated. From these experimental results, a linear relation(LR) between the gamma-ray intensity of Cs-137 and the bumup in the range of 10∼35 GWD/MTU was obtained. In order to validate the LR, the Cs-137 gamma-ray intensity of unknown sample was nondestructively measured and the bumup obtained by the LR was compared with that of the Nd-148 method. It is revealed that the results from both methods are in good agreement, and thus it seems to be possible to estimate the bumup of spent PWR fuel rod by measuring nondestructively gamma-ray of fission product Cs-137.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 1987

Using a solution of $^{137}$ Cs as a tracer, radioactivity of a $^{137}$ Cs solution is measured by coincidence and anticoincidence counting methods. Sample sources in this study are fabricated by mixing $^{137}$ Cs with tracer, and the mixing ratios are 1/3 and 1/5, respectively in coincidence and anticoincidence methods. Specific activities of a $^{137}$ Cs solution are calculated by means of f-channel low energy threshold level variation and efficiency extrapolation. The results obtained by coincidence and anticoincidence counting methods are 552.78 kBq/g and 554.32kBq/g, respectively on the reference date and the combined uncertainties are 1.60kBq/g and 1.51kBq/g for each method. These two results show a good agreement within the uncertainty range.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.337-343
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• 2016

This study conducted the gamma ray spectroscopic analysis of the microcolumnar CsI:Tl deposited onto the SiPMs using thermal evaporation deposition. The SEM measured thickness of microcolumnar CsI:Tl and of its individual columns. From the SEM observation, the measured thickness of CsI:Tl were $450{\mu}m$ and $600{\mu}m$. The gamma ray spectroscopic properties of microcolumnar CsI:Tl, $450{\mu}m$ and $600{\mu}m$ thick deposited onto the SiPMs were analyzed using standard gamma ray sources $^{133}Ba$ and $^{137}Cs$. The spectroscopic analysis of microcolumnar CsI:Tl deposited onto the SiPMs included the measurements of response linearity over the $^{137}Cs$ gamma ray intensity; and gamma ray energy spectrum. Furthermore from the gamma ray spectrum measurement of $^{133}Ba$ and $^{137}Cs$, $450{\mu}m$ thick CsI:Tl showed good efficiency when measured with $^{133}Ba$ and $600{\mu}m$ thick CsI:Tl was highly efficient when measured with $^{137}Cs$.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.154-162
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• 2020

Background: Several studies have reported that wild mushrooms contain high amounts of radioactive cesium (137Cs). After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident, a significantly high concentration of 137Cs has been detected in wild mushrooms, and their consumption may be the cause of the chronic internal exposure of local consumers to radioactivity. Therefore, an accurate evaluation of the internal radioactivity resulting from mushroom ingestion is needed. Materials and Methods: The 137Cs elution rate through the cooking and digestion stages was evaluated using in vitro experiments. The edible mushroom Pleurotus djamor was taken as a sample for the experiments. The mushrooms were cultivated onto solid media containing 137Cs. We evaluated the internal dose based on the actual conditions using the elution rate data. For various cooking methods, the results were compared with those of other wild edible mushrooms. Results and Discussion: From the elution experiment through cooking, we proved that 25%-55% of the 137Cs in the mushrooms was released during soaking, boiling, or frying. The results of a simulated digestion experiment after cooking revealed that almost all the 137Cs in the ingested mushrooms eluted in the digestive juice, regardless of the cooking method. The committed effective dose was reduced by 20%-75% when considering the dissolution through the cooking process. Conclusion: We found that cooking lowers 137Cs concentration in mushrooms, therefore reducing the amount of radioactivity intake. Besides, since there were differences between mushroom types, we demonstrated that the internal exposure dose should be evaluated in detail considering the release of 137Cs during the cooking stages.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2022

Background: Residential areas have some factors on the external exposure of residents, who usually spend a long time in these areas. Although various survey has been carried out by the government or the research institutions after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, the mechanism of radiocesium inventory in the terrestrial zone has not been cleared. To better evaluate the radiation environment, this study investigated the temporal changes in air dose rate and ¹³⁷Cs inventories (Bq/m²) in residential areas and agricultural fields. Materials and Methods: Air dose rate and ¹³⁷Cs inventories were investigated in residential areas located in an evacuation zone at 5-8 km from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. From December 2014 to September 2018, the air dose rate distribution was investigated through a walking survey (backpack survey), which was conducted by operators carrying a γ-ray detector on their backs. Additionally, from December 2014 to January 2021, the ¹³⁷Cs inventories on paved and permeable grounds were also measured using a portable γ-ray detector. Results and Discussion: In the areas where decontamination was not performed, the air dose rate decreased faster in residential areas than in agricultural fields. Moreover, the ¹³⁷Cs inventory on paved surfaces decreased with time owing to the horizontal wash-off, while the ¹³⁷Cs inventory on permeable surfaces decreased dramatically owing to the decontamination activities. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the horizontal wash-off of ¹³⁷Cs on paved surfaces facilitated the air dose rate decrease in residential areas to a greater extent compared with agricultural fields, in which the air dose rate decreased because of the vertical migration of ¹³⁷Cs. Results of this study can explain the faster environmental restoration in a residential environment reported by previous studies.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.886-889
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• 2018

This article presented two-staged chemical precipitation for radioactive wastewater decontamination by using chemical agents. The total amount of radioactive wastewater was $35m^3$, and main radionuclides were Cs-137, Cs-134, and Co-60. Initial radioactivity concentration of the liquid waste was 2264, 17, and 9 Bq/L for Cs-137, Cs-134 and Co-60, respectively. Potassium ferrocyanide, nickel nitrate, and ferrum nitrate were selected as chemical agents at high pH levels 8-10 according to the laboratory jar tests. After the process, radioactivity was precipitated as sludge at the bottom of the tank and decontaminated clean liquid was evaluated depending on discharge limits. By this precipitation method decontamination factors were determined as 66.5, 8.6, and 9 for Cs-137, Cs-134, and Co-60, respectively. By using the potassium ferrocyanide, about 98% of the Cs-137 was removed at pH 9. At the bottom of the tank, radioactive sludge amount from both stages was totally $0.98m^3$. It was transferred by sludge pumps to cementation unit for solidification. By chemical processing, 97.2% of volume reduction was achieved. The potassium ferrocyanide in two-staged precipitation method could be used successfully in large-scale applications for removal of Cs-137, Cs-134, and Co-60.

• Clean Technology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.122-131
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• 2016

Caesium radioisotopes, ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs which come from the atmospheric nuclear tests and discharges from nuclear power plants, are very important to study artificial radioactivity. In this work, in order to lower the minimum detection activity (MDA) we investigated environmental radioactivity according to the Environment Measurement Laboratory procedure by ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³⁴Cs which is similar to chemical and environmental behaviors of ¹³⁷Cs. The environmental soils in high mountain areas near nuclear power plant were collected, and an Ammonium Molybdophosphate (AMP) precipitation method, which showed high selectivity toward Cs⁺ ions, was applied to chemically extract and concentrate Caesium radioisotopes. Radioactivity was estimated by a gamma-ray spectrometry. In gamma energy spectrum, with an increasing of ⁴⁰K radioactivity, it increased the MDA of ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs. Therefore, if the natural radionuclides were removed from the soil samples, the MDA of Caesium may be reduced, and the contents of ¹³⁷Cs of in the environmental soils can effectively be estimated. In the standard soil sample of Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, radioactivity of ⁴⁰K was removed more than 84% on average, and the MDA of ¹³⁴Cs was reduced 2 times. The content of ¹³⁷Cs was recovered over 84%. On the other hand, in environmental soils, AMP precipitation method showed removal ratio of ⁴⁰K up to 180 times, which reduced the MDA about 5 times smaller than those of Direct method. ¹³⁷Cs recovery ratio showed from 54.54% to 70.06%. When considering the MDA and recovery ratio, AMP precipitation method is effective for detection of Caesium radioisotopes in low concentration.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1985

Non-destructive gamma-ray spectrometry was carried out on the spent PWR fuel assemblies at the spent fuel pool of reactor-site. Attention was focused on the determination of burnup distribution and cooling time. For the measurement of burnup distribution, the concentration ratio of $^{134}$ Cs$^{137}$ Cs was used and the results showed these ratios varied with the positions of assemblies in the core during their irradiation. For the measurement of cooling time, $^{144}$ Ce$^{137}$ Cs was used and the results were agreed considerably well with the operator declared cooling time.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2004

H$_2$SO$_4$ and citric acid were used as additives for the electrokinetic remediation experiment to increase removal efficiency of $^{137}$ Cs and $^{60}$ Co from the radioactive soil waste stored for more than 10 years. The average effluent velocity discharged from the elctrokinectic remediation experimental column was 2.0${\times}$10$^{-2}$ cm/min and the discharged soil wastewater volume for 10 days is 3.6 pore volume of the column. 97% of $^{60}$ Co in the column was decontaminated for 10 days of operation, while only 54% of $^{137}$ Cs was decontaminated. These results are considered that the absorption equilibrium coefficient of $^{137}$ Cs is higher than that of $^{60}$ Co. The predicted values of the residual concentration by the proposed mathematical model were well coincided with the experimental results within the experimental error range