• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.118-126
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• 2019

Background: Government conducts environmental radioactivity surveillance for verification purpose around nuclear facilities based on the Nuclear Safety Law and issues a surveillance report every year. This study aims to evaluate the short and the long-term fluctuation of radionuclides detected above MDC and their origins using concentration ratios between these radionuclides. Materials and Methods: Sample media for verification surveillance are air, rainwater, groundwater, soil, and milk for terrestrial samples, and seawater, marine sediment, fish, and seaweed for marine samples. Gamma-emitting radionuclides including $^{137}Cs$, $^{90}Sr$, Pu, $^3H$, and $^{14}C$ are evaluated in these samples. Results and Discussion: According to the result of the environmental radioactivity verification surveillance in the vicinity of nuclear power facilities in 2017, the anthropogenic radionuclides were not detected in most of the environmental samples except for the detection of a trace level of $^{137}Cs$, $^{90}Sr$, Pu, and $^{131}I$ in some samples. Radioactivity concentration ratios between the anthropogenic radionuclides ($^{137}Cs/^{90}Sr$, $^{137}Cs/^{239+240}Pu$, $^{90}Sr/^{239+240}Pu$) were similar to those reported in the environmental samples, which were affected by the global fallout of the past nuclear weapon test, and Pu atomic ratios ($^{240}Pu/^{239}Pu$) in the terrestrial sample and marine sample showed significant differences due to the different input pathway and the Pu source. Radioactive iodine ($^{131}I$) was detected at the range of < $5.6-190mBq{\cdot}kg-fresh^{-1}$ in the gulfweed and sea trumpet collected from the area of Kori and Wolsong intake and discharge. A high level of $^3H$ was observed in the air (Sangbong: $0.688{\pm}0.841Bq{\cdot}m^{-3}$) and the precipitation (Meteorology Post: $199{\pm}126Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$) samples of the Wolsong nuclear power plant (NPP). $^3H$ concentration in the precipitation and pine needle samples showed typical variation pattern with the distance and the wind direction from the stack due to the gaseous release of $^3H$ in Wolsong NPP. Conclusion: Except for the detection of a trace level of $^{137}Cs$, $^{90}Sr$, Pu, and $^{131}I$ in some samples, anthropogenic radionuclides were below MDC in most of the environmental samples. Overall, no unusual radionuclides and abnormal concentration were detected in the 2017's surveillance result for verification. This research will be available in the assessment of environment around nuclear facilities in the event of radioactive material release.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.186-191
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• 2007

The objective of this research was to assess the reliability of data and to improve nuclear analytical techniques concerning the Domestic Radioactivity Intercomparison program for environmental radioactivity monitoring of Jeju from 1998 to 2006. Gross beta for filter papers and water samples was determined, and gamma nuclides for natural and artificial nuclides in soil and water samples were analyzed. The gross beta activity of all samples except for the water samples of 1998 and 1999 showed a good agreement within the confidence intervals. In gamma nuclides, $^{40}K$ and $^{137}Cs$ of soil samples and most nuclides in the water samples, with the exception of several nuclides, were evaluated to be reliable. Based on these results, it is considered that a reliable method for the analysis and monitoring of environmental radioactivity were established, which may play an important role in case of emergency radiation accident.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.138-143
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• 1996

After oral administration of 14C-labelled $N^G$-mono[methyl-14C]-L-arginine into rats, 38.2 % and 14.7 % of the administered radioactivity bad been recovered in the urine and stool during 10 days. In the urine, 59.4 % of the radioactivity was recovered in the first 24-hours and used for the indentification of the formation of methylamine. The strong cation-exchange resin column chromatography showed 6.3 %, 7.4 %, 4.9 %, and 81.5 % of the distributions of radioactivity of the neutral, monomethylamine, basic, and uneluted portions, respectively. The radioactivity of monomethylamine portion reeluted into the column chromatography was 39.5 %. The radioactivities corresponding monomethylamine in the column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, and thin-layer electrophoresis were 39.5 %, 37.3 %, and 28.8 % of the recovered radioactivity, respectively.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2023

Most of research on environmental radioactivity is conducted in areas near nuclear power plants, so basic data about the distribution of environmental radioactivity in soil in other areas are insufficient. Therefore, in this study, divide into four categories by the land development characteristics of Incheon and the purpose of development, and confirm the stability of the Incheon through soil sample collection and gamma-ray analysis based on ⁴⁰K, ¹³⁷Cs and ²²⁶Ra (²¹⁴Pb, ²¹⁴Bi). The spectrum obtained by measuring for 80,000 seconds by using the HPGe detector was analyzed by Genie 2000 program. Soil radioactivity concentrations in urban parks of Incheon area are generally within a safe range compared to the results of the Nuclear safety and security commission. However, as ¹³⁷Cs was detected in one park, which will require continuous monitoring.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.193-197
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• 2021

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 1995

An estimate of a change in radioactivity's circumstances around the nuclear power plant is validated with the results of the radioactivity measurements are compared. In this study, to further enhance the reliability of the results obtained from the environmental radioactivity measurements and analysis around the nuclear power plants that have been carried out up to the present. In the korea standard, there is the technical analysis guide for general stable chemical element's, but there is not the technical analysis guide for the radionuclei. therefore the environmental sample collection, the pretreatment of the sample and radionuclide analysis in the sample, the result's of the environmental radioactivity measurements by each organization, etc. are different. It is not sufficient for the database to forecasting a change in radioactivity's circumstances. A comparative study of collection and pretreatment techniques for the soil sample, the results by comparison, the method of minimizing the relative error are proposed. At one side of sample collection, there are going to considered that the surroundings of sample collection like the lay of the land, the provision of the selection standard for the area and pathway of radionuclide adhesion, the coherence of sample collection, etc.. at another side of pretreatment of the sample and measurement in the case of soil sample, how to do homogeneously the soil particle size and the standard tools, i.e. kinds of meshes, must to be selected.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.252-261
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• 2017

Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) increase radiation exposure to the public as these materials are concentrated through artificial manufacturing processes by human activities. This study focuses on the development of a method for the quantitative analysis of $^{232}Th$, $^{235}U$, and $^{238}U$ in building materials. The accuracy and precision of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for determination of digestion processes was evaluated for certified reference materials (CRMs) digested using various mixed acid (e.g., aqua regia, hydrofluoric acid, and perchloric acid) digestions and a $LiBO_2$ fusion method. The method validation results reveal that a $LiBO_2$ fusion and $Fe(OH)_3$ co-precipitation should be applied as the optimal sample digestion process for the quantitative analysis of radionuclides in building materials. The radioactivity of $^{232}Th$, $^{235}U$, and $^{238}U$ in a total of 51 building material (e.g., board, brick, cement, paint, tile, and wall paper) samples was quantitatively analyzed using an established process. Finally, the values of $^{238}U$ and $^{232}Th$ radioactivity were comprehensively compared with those from the indirect method using ${\gamma}$-spectrometry.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2022.05a
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• pp.459-461
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• 2022

In this paper, we propose a measurement system for measuring radioactivity detected in an indoor environment. This is to measure and prevent radiation generated in various spaces such as general house, workplace, and research institutes. Multi-radioactivity sensors are used to measure multiple spaces simultaneously. The measured radioactivity data is transmitted to the PC in real time through ZigBee and monitored. Even with a small amount of radioactivity, it is considered that it must be installed in a place where radiation exposure is expected, such as a laboratory or workplace, for prevention from chronic radiation syndrome.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.395-401
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• 2016

Background: Liquid scintillation counters (LSCs) are commonly used as an analytical method for detecting $^{222}Rn$ in groundwater because they involve a simple sample pretreatment and allow high throughout with an autosampler. The Quantulus 1220 is the best-selling LSC in Korea, but its production was stopped. Recently, a new type of LSC, the 300SL, was introduced. In this study, the 300SL was compared with the Quantulus 1220 in order to evaluate the ability of each apparatus to detect $^{222}Rn$ in groundwater. Materials and Methods: The Quantulus 1220 and 300SL were used to detect the presence of $^{222}Rn$. Radon gas was extracted from a groundwater sample using a water-immiscible cocktail in a LSC vial. The optimal analytical conditions for each LSC were determined using a $^{222}Rn$ calibration source prepared with a $^{226}Ra$ source. Results and Discussion: The optimal pulse shape analysis level for alpha and beta separation was 80 for the Quantulus 1220, and the corresponding pulse length index was 12 in the 300SL. The counting efficiency of the Quantulus 1220 for alpha emissions was similar to that of the 300SL, but the background count rate of the Quantulus 1220 was 10 times lower than that of the 300SL. The minimum detectable activity of the Quantulus 1220 was $0.08Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$, while that of the 300SL was $0.20Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$. The analytical results regarding $^{222}Rn$ in groundwater were less than 10% different between these LSCs. Conclusion: The 300SL is an LSC that is comparable to the Quantulus 1220 for detecting $^{222}Rn$ in groundwater. Both LSCs can be applied to determine the levels of $^{222}Rn$ in groundwater under the management of the Ministry of Environment.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2017

Background: Phosphate rock and its by-product are widely used in various industries to produce phosphoric acid, gypsum, gypsum board, and fertilizer. Owing to its high level of natural radioactive nuclides (e.g., $^{238}U$ and $^{226}Ra$), the radiological safety of workers who work with phosphate rock should be systematically managed. In this study, $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$, $^{226}Ra$, and $^{40}K$ levels were measured to analyze the transport characteristics of these radionuclides in the production cycle of phosphate rock. Materials and Methods: Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and gamma spectrometry were used to determine the activity of $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$, $^{226}Ra$, and $^{40}K$. To evaluate the extent of secular disequilibrium, the analytical results were compared using statistical methods. Finally, the distribution of radioactivity across different stages of the phosphate rock production cycle was evaluated. Results and Discussion: The concentration ratios of $^{226}Ra$ and $^{238}U$ in phosphate rock were close to 1.0, while those found in gypsum and fertilizer were extremely different, reflecting disequilibrium after the chemical reaction process. The nuclide with the highest activity level in the production cycle of phosphate rock was $^{40}K$, and the median $^{40}K$ activity was $8.972Bq{\cdot}g^{-1}$ and $1.496Bq{\cdot}g^{-1}$, respectively. For the $^{238}U$ series, the activity of $^{238}U$ and $^{226}Ra$ was greatest in phosphate rock, and the distribution of activity values clearly showed the transport characteristics of the radionuclides, both for the byproducts of the decay sequences and for their final products. Conclusion: Although the activity of $^{40}K$ in k-related fertilizer was relatively high, it made a relatively low contribution to the total radiological effect. However, the activity levels of $^{226}Ra$ and $^{238}U$ in phosphate rock were found to be relatively high, near the upper end of the acceptable limits. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically manage the radiological safety of workers engaged in phosphate rock processing.