• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.75-82
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• 2002

This outline survey of indoor and outdoor radon concentrations in five major cities in Korea was carried out with Electrostatic Integrating Radon Monitor(EIRM) from February to December, 1996 and January to december, 1998. The mean indoor and outdoor radon concentrations in five major cities in 1996 were $21.9{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3$ and $9.6{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3$, respectively. The mean indoor and outdoor radon concentrations in 1998 were $20.8{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3$ and $9.0{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3$, respectively. These were below the U.S.EPA radon action level. The range of indoor to outdoor radon concentrations were $0.8{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3{\;}~{\;}45.6{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3$ in 1996, $0.5{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3{\;}~{\;}15.2{\;}Bq/\textrm{m}^3$ in 1998, respectively. The result of our analysis showed that radon concentrations in indoor air were clearly higher than those in outdoor air. Inspection of seasonal distribute pattern indicates the enhancement during winter relative to summer.

• Journal of Wellbeing Management and Applied Psychology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of airborne radon concentration by season in public-use facilities in South Korea. Research design, data and methodology: The data is provided by the public data portal, and public-use facilities nationwide where radon in the air is measured are specialized sanatorium for senior citizens, libraries, childcare facilities, postpartum care centers, medical institutions, funeral halls, underground shopping malls, and underground subway stations. Results: The facility with the highest radon concentration in public-use facilities was childcare facilities with an average of 50.2 ± 21.7 Bq/m³, while the average of medical institutions was the lowest at 24.8 ± 5.7 Bq/m³. The season with the largest difference in average radon concentration between childcare facilities and medical institutions was in the order of fall (28.6 Bq/m³), followed by winter (28.1 Bq/m³), spring (23.0 Bq/m³), and summer (22.0 Bq/m³). Conclusions: The main concentration levels of each public-use facility shown in this study are all below domestic and international standards, but there is a significant concentration difference between facilities. By season, winter showed the highest average concentration (40.6 ± 21.3 Bq/m³) and summer showed the lowest average concentration (23.8 ± 14.0 Bq/m³).

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.556-561
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• 2003

The quantity of the gaseous radioactive waste generated from HANARO operation for the years from 1996 to 2002 has been investigated. The amounts of Ar-41, H-3 and I-131 exhausted to the environment were 6.33E13 Bq, 5.10E12 Bq and 3.26EB Bq, respectively.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.203-211
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• 2009

A lesser degree of research is available with respect to indoor radon characteristics associated with occupants' exposure. The present study evaluated the radon levels in several public-access buildings or underground facilities, and their temporal variation in underground facilities. Radon measurements were conducted in 2005 and 2006, utilizing a continuous radon detector. A solid alpha detector (RAD7) was utilized to measure indoor radon levels. The mean radon concentrations obtained from the building or facilities were in a descending order: platforms of Daegu subway line 2, 2005 (32 $Bq/m^3$), hot-air bathroom (14 $Bq/m^3$), basement of office building (14 $Bq/m^3$), underground parking garage (14 $Bq/m^3$), underground shop (12 $Bq/m^3$), nursery (10 $Bq/m^3$), platforms of Daegu subway line 2, 2006 (9.0 $Bq/m^3$), platforms of Daegu subway line 1, 2006 (8.9 $Bq/m^3$), supermarket (7.9 $Bq/m^3$), hospital (7.3 $Bq/m^3$), and second-floor of office building (5.7 $Bq/m^3$). In general, underground-level facilities exhibited higher radon levels as compared with ground-level facilities. It was suggested that ventilation is an important parameter regarding the indoor levels of a subway. There was a decreasing or increasing trend in hourly-radon levels in a subway, whereas no trend were observed in a basement of office building. In addition, the radon levels in the subway lines 1 and 2 varied according to the platforms. The radon levels in the present study were much lower than those of previous studies. The average annual effective dose (AED) of radiation from indoor radon exposure was estimated to be between 0.043 and 0.242 mSv/yr, depending on facility types. These AEDs were substantially lower than the worldwide average AED (2.4 mSv/yr).

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.258-263
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• 2017

In this study, we synthesized biocatalyst consisting of glucose oxidase (GOx), polyethyleneimine (PEI) and carbon nanotube (CNT) with addition of p-benzoquinone (BQ) that was considered anodic catalysts of enzymatic biofuel cell (EBC). For doing this, PEI/CNT supporter was bonded with BQ by physical entrapping method stemmed from electrostatic attractive force ([BQ/PEI]/CNT). In turn, GOx moiety was further immobilized on the [BQ/PEI]/CNT to form GOx/[BQ/PEI]/CNT catalyst. This catalyst has a special advantage in that the BQ that has been usually dissolved into electrolyte was immobilized on supporter. According to the electrochemical analysis, maximum current density of the GOx/[BQ/PEI]/CNT catalyst was 1.9 fold better than that of the catalyst that did not entrap BQ with the value of $34.16{\mu}A/cm^2$, verifying that catalytic activity of the catalyst was enhanced by adoption of BQ. Also, when it was used as anodic catalyst of the EBC, its maximum power density was 1.2 fold better than that of EBC using the catalyst that did not entrap BQ with the value of $0.91mW/cm^2$. Based on such results, it turned out that the GOx/[BQ/PEI]/CNT catalyst was promising and viable as anodic catalyst of EBC.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.531-538
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• 2017

Agricultural products produced in the agricultural area around the nuclear power plant are radioactive contamination, which can cause radioactive contamination to the human body. The purpose of this study was to investigate the limit of the radioactivity concentration $^{90}Sr$ for the internal exposure dose evaluation by ingesting the agricultural products collected around the nuclear power plant. The results of the gamma-isotope element analysis were freshly <0.0166-0.0336 Bq / kg for all samples and for artificial radionuclides not detected, and fresh <0.00586-0.0421 Bq / kg for Chinese cabbage, The freshness was 0.106 Bq / kg, and the freshness was 0.0114-0.0901 Bq / kg. 0.0177%, 0.0222%, 0.0376% and 0.00243%, respectively, for Chinese cabbages and large roots, which is lower than the legal standard value of $1mSv/yr{\cdot}man%$. It is considered that the formulas need to be broadly evaluated for the foods consumed by children and adults, taking into consideration the age of the food and the diet

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.57-68
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• 2019

Objective: The purpose of this study is to propose the benefits of reduction measures according to the occupational radon reference level in order to present basic data for radon management guidelines considering domestic circumstances. Methods: This study uses radon data measured in the subway stations from 2015 to 2016. Of the total of 4,643 cases, 4,231 cases were analyzed excluding the 412 cases where the values were below $300Bq/m^3$. Results: Cost-Benefit analysis was done on the results of the field survey on subway work sites. At the exposure level of $400Bq/m^3$, the ratio between the cost and the benefit was highest at 1 : 1.81(the cost was KRW 1,398,568,032, while the benefit KRW 2,5248,772,841). At the exposure level of $600Bq/m^3$, the ratio of cost and benefit was 1: 1.80, at $300Bq/m^3$ it was 1.72, at $800Bq/m^3$ it was 1.71, at $200Bq/m^3$ it was 1.54, and at $100Bq/m^3$ it was 1.40. Conclusions: Radon management in the workplace provides economic benefits and appropriate reduction strategies are needed. In addition, it is necessary to establish and distribute radon exposure assessment procedures and guidelines for the safety and health of employees when exceeding the exposure standard, and guidelines for radon management in the workplace should be established.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.173-179
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• 2016

Coals and coal ashes, raw materials and by-products, in coal-fired power plants contain naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). They may give rise to internal exposure to workers due to inhalation of airborne particulates containing radioactive materials. It is necessary to characterize radioactivity concentrations of the materials for assessment of radiation dose to the workers. The objective of the present study was to analyze radioactivity concentrations of coals and by-products at four coal-fired plants in Korea. High purity germanium detector was employed for analysis of uranium series, thorium series, and potassium 40 in the materials. Radioactivity concentrations of $^{226}Ra$, $^{228}Ra$, and $^{40}K$ were $2{\sim}53Bq\;kg^{-1}$, $3{\sim}64Bq\;kg^{-1}$, and $14{\sim}431Bq\;kg^{-1}$ respectively in coal samples. For coal ashes, the radioactivity concentrations were $77{\sim}133Bq\;kg^{-1}$, $77{\sim}105Bq\;kg^{-1}$, and $252{\sim}372Bq\;kg^{-1}$ in fly ash samples and $54{\sim}91Bq\;kg^{-1}$, $46{\sim}83Bq\;kg^{-1}$, and $205{\sim}462Bq\;kg^{-1}$ in bottom ash samples. For flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum, the radioactivity concentrations were $3{\sim}5Bq\;kg^{-1}$, $2{\sim}3Bq\;kg^{-1}$, and $22{\sim}47Bq\;kg^{-1}$. Radioactivity was enhanced in coal ash compared with coal due to combustion of organic matters in the coal. Radioactivity enhancement factors for $^{226}Ra$, $^{228}Ra$, and $^{40}K$ were 2.1~11.3, 2.0~13.1, and 1.4~7.4 for fly ash and 2.0~9.2, 2.0~10.0, 1.9~7.7 for bottom ash. The database established in this study can be used as basic data for internal dose assessment of workers at coal-fired power plants. In addition, the findings can be used as a basic data for development of safety standard and guide of Natural Radiation Safety Management Act.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.489-500
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• 2022

The decommissioning of nuclear facilities produces various types of radiologically contaminated waste. In addition, dismantlement activities, including cutting, packing, and clean-up at the facility site, result in secondary radioactive waste such as filters, resin, plastic, and clothing. Determining of the radionuclide content of this waste is an important step for the determination of a suitable management strategy including classification and disposal. In this work, we radiochemically characterized the radionuclide activities of filters used during the decommissioning of Korea Research Reactors (KRRs) 1 and 2. The results indicate that the filter samples contained mainly ³H (500-3,600 Bq·g^-1), ¹⁴C (7.5-29 Bq·g^-1), ⁵⁵Fe (1.1- 7.1 Bq·g^-1), ⁵⁹Ni (0.60-1.0 Bq·g^-1), ⁶⁰Co (0.74-70 Bq·g^-1), ⁶³Ni (0.60-94 Bq·g^-1), ⁹⁰Sr (0.25-5.0 Bq·g^-1), ¹³⁷Cs (0.64-8.7 Bq·g^-1), and ¹⁵²Eu (0.19-2.9) Bq·g^-1. In addition, the gross alpha radioactivity of the samples was measured to be between 0.32-1.1 Bq·g^-1. The radionuclide concentrations were below the concentration limit stated in the low- and intermediatelevel waste acceptance criteria of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, and used for the disposal of the KRRs waste drums to a repository site.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.156-161
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• 2016

When air discharged from a radioisotope production facility is contaminated with radiation, the public may be exposed to radiation. The objective of this study is to manage such radiation exposure. We measured the airborne radioactivity concentration at a 30 MeV cyclotron radioisotope production facility to assess whether the exhaust gas was contaminated. Additionally, we investigted the radioactive contamination of the air filter for efficient air purification and radiation safety control. To measure the airborne radiation concentration, specimens were collected weekly for 4 h after the beginning of the radioisotope production. Regarding the air purifier, five specimens were collected at different positions of each filter-pre-filter, high-efficiency particulate air filter, and charcoal filter-installed in the cyclotron production room. The concentrations of F-18, I-123, I-131, and Tl-201 generated in the radioiodine production room were $13.5Bq/m^3$, $27.0Bq/m^3$, $0.10Bq/m^3$, and $11.5Bq/m^3$, respectively; the concentrations of F-18, I-123, and I-131 produced in the radioisotope production room were $0.05Bq/m^3$, $16.1Bq/m^3$, and $0.45Bq/m^3$, correspondingly; and those of F-18, I-123, I-131, and Tl-201 generated in the accelerator room were $2.07Bq/m^3$, $53.0Bq/m^3$, $0.37Bq/m^3$, and $0.15Bq/m^3$, respectively. The maximum radiation concentration of I-123 generated in the radioiodine production room was 1,820 Bq/g, which can be disposed after 2 days. The maximum radiation concentration of Tl-202 generated in the radioisotope production room was 205 Bq/g, and this isotope must be stored for 53 days. The I-123 generated in the radioiodine production room had a maximum concentration of 1,530 Bq/g and must be stored for 2 days. The maximum radiation concentration of Na-22 generated in the radioisotope production room was 0.18 Bq/g and this isotope must be disposed after 827 days. To manage the exhaust, the efficiency of air purification must be enhanced by selecting an air purifier with a long life and determining the appropriate replacement time by examining the differential pressure through systematic measurements of the airborne radiation contamination level.