• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.460-467
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• 2007

Dose rate conversion factor was calculated to estimate the absorbed effective annual doses for soils for the beta-rays and gamma-rays, which were emitted from $^{238,235}U$, $^{232}Th$, and $^{40}K$ isotopes. The most recent data of the emitted energies per decay, half-lifes, and branching ratios, which were obtained from National Nuclear Data Center, were used. When this factor and the effective annual doses for the beta-rays and the gamma-rays of natural radioisotopes were compared with those of Aitken, these of $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$ and $^{40}K$ are estimated to have good agreements but a large difference is shown in this for $^{235}U$. Through the calculations of effective annual doses by using these factor and the measurements of gamma-ray spectra for soils, which were extracted from prehistoric remains (Mansuri) on Osong, Chungchengbuk-do, The annual effective doses were obtained to be 3.8~5.9 mGy/yr. Also, when these doses including decay elements upper Rn were compared with those on all isotopes, the differences within 9~30 % were obtained. The analysis method of the annual effective doses for the beta-rays and the gamma-rays of the natural isotopes of soils was established by this dose rate conversion factor.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.545-552
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• 2002

In order to investigate the influence of nuclear power plant operation on its nearby environment, soil, stream and marine sediment samples were collected in the vicinity of the Youngkwang Nuclear Power Plant in Korea, and analyzed for artificial and natural radionuclide radioactivity. From the analytical result, Cs-137 was detected in most soil samples. but it may have been derived fiom past nuclear weapon tests because Cs-134 having short half-live was not detected. The radioactivities of Cs-137 in the sediment samples were also detected which are within the normal range in the sediments based upon the published literature between 1997 and 1999. For the quality control of radioactivity analysis of environmental samples, sets of marine sediments in the Gamami area were analyzed using two HPGe Gamma-ray Spectroscopes (30% and 45%) according to the geostatistical sampling strategy, and Cs-137 and K-40 results were interpreted by analysis of variance (ANOVA). In the two-way ANOVA, variances derived from the geochemical variation were significant, but errors from sampling and analytical procedures are negligible. In conclusion. all the radioanalytical procedures of this study including sampling are validated to be acceptable.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.211-215
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• 2015

In case of radiation emergencies, radioactive materials released into environments can cause internal exposure of members of the public. Even though whole body counters are widely used for direct measurement of internally deposited radionuclides, those are not likely to be used at the field to rapidly screen internal exposure. In this study, we estimated the counting efficiencies of portable NaI detector for different size BOMAB phantoms using Monte Carlo transport code to apply handheld gamma spectrometers for rapid screening of internal exposure following radiological accidents. As a result of comparison for two counting geometries, counting efficiencies for sitting model were about 1.1 times higher than those for standing model. We found, however, that differences of counting efficiencies according to different size are higher than those according to counting geometry. Therefore, we concluded that when we assess internal exposure of small size people compared to the reference male, the body size should be considered to estimate more accurate radioactivity in the human body because counting efficiencies of 4-year old BOMAB phantom were about 2.4~3.1 times higher than those of reference male BOMAB phantom.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.450-454
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• 2021

Currently, gamma nuclide analysis is mainly used using inorganic scintillators or semiconductor detectors. These detectors have high resolution but there are less economical, limited in size, and low process ability than plastic scintillators. Therefore, quantum dot-based plastic scintillator was developed using the advantages of the quantum dot nanomaterial and the conventional plastic scintillator. In this study, efficient plastic scintillator was fabricated by adding CdS/ZnS based on the most widely used Cd-based nanomaterial in a polystyrene matrix. In addition, the performance of the commercial plastic scintillator was compared and it was analyzed through radiological measurement experiments. The detection efficiency of fabricated plastic scintillator was higher than commercial plastic scintillator, EJ-200. It is believed that this fabricated plastic scintillator can be used as a radioactivity analyzer in the medical and nuclear facility fields.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 1984

A great variety of nuclear gamma rays emitted from fission and activation products of spent nuclear fuel contains much information that can be elicited without affecting the integrity of the fuel elements. But the extraction of such information from the complex spectrum is difficult and requires computer codes. In the present work, a versatile code 'CAERI' was developed which locates peaks and calculates their areas for X-rays as well as gamma rays using elegant features of some widely used programs for gamma-ray peak fitting. 'CAERI' coded in FORTRAN used infinite series approximation more accurate than other workers various, simple, piecewise series approximations for evaluations of the Voigt function which represents the X-ray peak with non-negligible natural line width. 'CAERI' can handle even a complex multiplet consisting of peaks from X-rays and gamma rays in arbitrary mixture, which one often encounters in the isotopic analysis of heavy elements such as U and Pu. The results of the fitting performed on the test spectra of $^{177m}\;Lu\;{\gamma}-ray\;and\;^{235}U\;K_{\alpha}$X-ray show good agreement with those by previous workers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.257-263
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• 2021

This study derives the relative cross-section for the natW(p,xn)176Re nuclear reaction by measuring the gamma rays generated from the nuclear reaction with natural tungsten using a 100 MeV linear accelerator of the Korea Multi-purpose Accelerator Complex in the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. In general, research on isotopes with a short half-life always shows a tendency that the intensity of radioactivity decreases rapidly within a short period of time, making it very difficult to measure itself. In particular, 176Re is one of the relatively short radionuclides with a half-life of 5.3 minutes. In this study, 109.08 keV gamma rays generated from the 176Re isotope having such a short half-life were measured using a high-purity Ge detector(HPGe detector). The obtained relative measurements were the results in the 8 to 14 MeV proton energy domain published by Richard G. in 1967, and the TENDL-2019 value, which was the result of A. J. Koning in 2019, which evaluated the nuclear reaction cross-section by calculation based on this comparative analysis was performed. The results of this study are expected to be usefully applied to the design of nuclear fusion reactor which is known as future energy sources, elements ratio for the nuclear synthesis of astrophysics.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.262-269
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• 2017

The concentration of natural radioactivity in the sediment of the Geum River was investigated. The river and lake sediment samples were collected at 23 points during September to November, 2015 and March to April, 2015, respectively. The gamma-rays emitted from the $^{226}Ra$ and $^{232}Th$ decay series and $^{40}K$ were measured with a high purity germanium (HPGe) gamma detector. The average radioactivity concentrations of the $^{226}Ra$, $^{232}Th$ decay series and $^{40}K$ for the river sediment was found to be $15.6{\pm}0.6$, $33.8{\pm}1.2$, $789.8{\pm}26.0Bq/kg$, respectively, while for the lake sediment, the concentrations were $17.1{\pm}0.5$, $37.8{\pm}1.1$, $269.4{\pm}9.6Bq/kg$, respectively. Spearman's correlation was conducted to compare the radioactivity concentration and properties of the sediment. The radioactivity concentration of the $^{232}Th$ decay series showed a negative correlation with the particle size of the sediment, and was measured to be higher than the $^{226}Ra$ decay series according to mobility of the radionuclides. The radioactivity concentration of $^{40}K$ showed a negative correlation with organic matter content. The concentration of $^{40}K$ in the lake sediment was lower than that in the river sediment.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 1997

Recently, the conclusion of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty(CTBT) is globally constructing a network system for nuclear test monitoring. The radionuclide experts of the Conference on Disarmament recommended that the detection of nuclear debris in the atmosphere was an essential factor of nuclear test monitoring and proposed the technical requirements. Based on those requirements, atmospheric radionuclide monitoring system to detect nuclear debris generated from the nuclear explosion test was composed. The system is comprised of high volume air sampler(HVAS), filter paper presser and high purity germanium detector(HPGe). Minimum detectable concentrations(MDCs) of the key nuclides requiring in CTBT monitoring strategies are determined by considering of decay time, counting time and flow rate of the high volume air sampler for the rapid explosion and the optimum measurement condition. The results were selected $10{\pm}$2h, $20{\pm}$2h and $850{\pm}50m^3$/h as parameters, respectively. The relation between the natural air-borne radionuclide concentration of $^{212}Pb$ and MDC were calculated which gave effect in the Compton continuum baseline due to those nuclides in the gamma-ray spectroscopy. These results can be used as an actually tool in the CTBT monitoring strategies.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.42-46
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• 2016

The radioactive iodine ($^{131}I$) presents in the environment through the excrete process of nuclear medicine patients. In the detecting of low level of $^{131}I$ in the public water, the counting uncertainty has an effect on the accuracy and reliability of detecting $^{131}I$ radioactivity concentration. In this study, the contribution of sample amount, radioactivity concentration and counting time to the uncertainty was investigated in the case of public water sample. Sampling points are public water and the effluents of a sewage treatment plant at Sapkyocheon stream, Geumgang river. In each point, 1, 10 and 20 L of liquid samples were collected and prepared by evaporation method. The HPGe (High Purity Germanium) detector was used to detect and analyze emitted gamma-ray from samples. The radioactivity concentration of $^{131}I$ were in the range of 0.03 to 1.8 Bq/L. The comparison of the counting uncertainty of the sample amount, 1 L sample is unable to verify the existence of the $^{131}I$ under 0.5 Bq/L radioactivity concentration. Considering the short half-life of $^{131}I$ (8.03 days), a method for measuring 1 L sample was used. However comparing the detecting and preparing time of 1, 10 L respectively, detecting 10 L sample would be an appropriate method to distinguish $^{131}I$ concentration in the public water.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.79-82
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• 2012

Iodine is one of important nuclides to be checked for radiation exposure after nuclear power facility accidents. After Chernobyl accident, it was observed that there is a greater amount of organic iodine in the atmosphere than inorganic iodine. In this study, we not only varied the amount of sample being exposed to $^{131}I$ and the duration of exposure to $^{131}I$ but also diluted the sample in distilled water and mixed the sample in kelp and liquid $^{131}I$ to measure and analyze the radiation detection levels. We concluded that the radiation levels were not high enough to be harmful to human body. The radiation from $^{131}I$ decreased over time, and we calculated the half life at 7-9 days. We found that the radiation from any sample containing $^{131}I$ was halved by up to 7days.