• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.143-153
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• 2018

Background: The determination of the amount of radionuclides and internal dose for the worker who may have intake of radionuclides results in a variation due to uncertainty of measurement data and ingestion information. As a result of this, it is possible that for the same internal exposure scenario assessors could make considerably different estimation of internal dose. In order to reduce this difference, internal exposure scenarios for nuclear facilities were developed, and intercomparison were made to determine the harmonization of dose assessment results among the assessors. Materials and Methods: Seven cases on internal exposures incidents that have occurred or may occur were prepared by referring to the intercomparison excercise scenario that NRC and IAEA have carried out. Based on this, 16 nuclear facilities concerned with internal exposure in Korea were asked to evaluate the scenarios. Each result was statistically determined according to the harmonization discrimination criteria developed by IDEAS/IAEA. Results and Discussion: The results were evaluated as having no outliers in all 7 cases. However, the distribution of the results was spread by various causes. They can be divided into two wide categories. The first one is the distribution of the results according to the assumption of the intake factors and the evaluation factors. The second one is distribution due to misapplication of calculation method and factors related to internal exposure. Conclusion: In order to satisfy the harmonization criteria and accuracy of the internal exposure dose evaluation, it is necessary that exact guidelines should be set on low dose, and various intercomparison cases also be needed including high dose exposure as well as the specialized education. The aim of the blind test is to make harmonization evaluation, but it will also contribute to securing the expertise and high quality of dose evaluation data through the discussion among the participants.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권7호
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• pp.1088-1098
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• 2018

Kori unit #1, which is the first commercial nuclear power plant in Korea, was permanently shutdown in June 2017, and it is about to be decommissioned. Currently in Korea, researches on the decommissioning technology are actively conducted, but there are few researches on workers internal exposure to radioactive aerosol that is generated in the process of decommissioning nuclear power plants. As a result, the over-exposure of decommissioning workers is feared, and the optimal working time needs to be revised in consideration of radioactive aerosol. This study investigated the annual exposure limits of various countries, which can be used as an indicator in evaluating workers' internal exposure to radioactive aerosol during pipe cutting in the process of decommissioning nuclear power plants, and the growth and dynamics of aerosol. Also, to evaluate it, the authors compared/analyzed the cases of aerosol generated when activated pipes are cut in the process of nuclear power plants and the codes for evaluating internal exposure. The evaluation codes and analyzed data conform to ALARA, and they are believed to be used as an important indicator in deriving an optimal working time that does not excess the annual exposure limit.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.55-64
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• 2009

In a pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR), radiation workers who have access to radiation controlled areas submit their urine samples to health physicists periodically; internal radiation exposure is evaluated by the monitoring of these urine samples. Internal radiation exposure at PHWRs accounts for approximately 20 $\sim$ 40% of total radiation exposure; most internal radiation exposure is attributed to tritium. Carbon-14 is not a dominant nuclide in the radiation exposure of workers, but it is one potential nuclide to be necessarily monitored. Carbon-14 is a low energy beta emitter and passes relatively easily into the body of workers by inhalation because its dominant chemical form is radioactive carbon dioxide ($^{14}CO_2$). Most inhaled carbon-14 is rapidly exhaled from the worker's body, but a small amount of carbon-14 remains inside the body and is excreted by urine. In this study, a method for dual analysis of tritium and carbon-14 in urine samples of workers at nuclear power plants is developed and a method for internal dose assessment using its excretion rate result is established. As a result of the developed dual analysis of tritium and carbon-14 in urine samples of radiation workers who entered the high radiation field area at a PHWR, it was found that internal exposure to carbon-14 is unlikely to occur. In addition, through the urine counting results of radiation workers who participated in the open process of steam generators, it was found that the likelihood of internal exposure to either tritium or carbon-14 is extremely low at pressurized water reactors (PWRs).

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제73권4호
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• pp.210-218
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• 2012

Background: The level of urine cotinine is an indicator of tobacco smoke exposure. The purpose of this study is to investigate urine cotinine for the purpose of assessing the smoking status of Korean smokers and non-smokers exposed to tobacco smoke. Methods: The subjects were identified from the 2007-2009 and the 2010 data sets of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). They were assigned as non-smokers, current smokers and ex-smokers. Non-smokers were also divided into three subset groups according to the duration of smoke exposure. Each group was stratified by gender prior to analysis. Results: The median value of urine cotinine in the male current smokers was 1,221.93 ng/mL which was the highest among all groups. The difference between levels of urine cotinine for male and the female groups was statistically significant (p<0.01). In the female group, passive smoke exposure groups reported higher urine cotinine levels than non-exposure groups (p=0.01). The cutoff point for the discrimination of current smokers from non-smokers was 95.6 ng/mL in males and 96.8 ng/mL in females. The sensitivity and specificity were 95.2% and 97.1%, respectively, in males, 96.1% and 96.5% in females. However, the determination of urine cotinine level was not useful in distinguishing between passive smoke exposure groups and non-exposure groups. Conclusion: Urine cotinine concentration is a useful biomarker for discriminating non-smokers from current smokers. However, careful interpretation is necessary for assessing passive smoke exposure by urine cotinine concentration.

• 대한임상독성학회지
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.30-33
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• 2011

Trichloroethylene (TCE, $C_2HCl_3$), which was introduced as a gas for general anesthesia and analgesia in early 1900's has been widely used in industry as an organic solvent. Occupational exposure to TCE is an important medical problem. Manifestations of acute exposure to TCE include mucocutaneous irritation, hepatotoxicity, cognitive impairment, sleep, headache, respiratory insufficiency and death. We report a 38-year-old man who was admitted to a department of emergency medicine after occupational inhalation exposure to TCE. He rapidly developed semicoma and respiratory depression. After mechanical ventilation, hypercapnea and hypoxemia disappeared and his mental state again became alert. Careful evaluation and proper respiratory support are important for respiratory failure after occupational TCE inhalation.

• 대한방사선기술학회지:방사선기술과학
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.109-115
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• 2021

In this study, a physical evaluation of internal radiation exposure in children was conducted using nuclear medicine test(Renal DTPA Dynamic Study) to simulate the distribution and effects of the radiation throughout the tracer kinetics over time. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to determine the internal medical radiation exposure during the tests and to provide basic data for medical radiation exposure management. Specifically, dose variability based on changes in the tracer kinetic was simulated over time. The internal exposure to the target organ (kidney) and other surrounding organs was then quantitatively evaluated and presented. When kidney function was normal, the dose to the target organ(kidney) was approximately 0.433 mGy/mCi, and the dose to the surrounding organs was approximately 0.138-0.266 mGy/mCi. When kidney function was abnormal, the dose to the surrounding organs was 0.228-0.419 mGy/mCi. This study achieved detailed radiation dose measurements in highly sensitive pediatric patients and enabled the prediction of radiation doses according to kidney function values. The proposed method can provide useful insights for medical radiation exposure management, which is particularly important and necessary for pediatric patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제76권5호
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• pp.226-232
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• 2014

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by airflow limitation and results from environmental factors and genetic factors. Although cigarette smoking is a major risk factor, other environmental exposures can influence COPD. The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics of COPD according to the history of environmental exposure. Methods: The study population comprised of 347 subjects with COPD who were recruited from the pulmonary clinics of 14 hospitals within the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease Study Group. We classified environmental exposures according to history of living near factory, and direct exposure history to firewood or briquette. According to living environmental exposures, we compared the frequency of respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function, quality of life, exercise capacity, and computed tomography phenotypes. Results: Thirty-one subjects (8.9%) had history of living near factory, 271 (78.3%) had exposure history to briquette, and 184 (53.3%) had exposure history to firewood. Patients with history of living near a factory had a significantly longer duration of sputum, while patients with exposure to firewood tended to have lower forced expiratory volume in one second, and patients with exposure to briquette tended to have lower six minute walk distance. Conclusion: COPD subjects with the history of living near factory had more frequent respiratory symptoms such as sputum. Our data suggest that environmental exposure may influence clinical phenotype of COPD.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.328-338
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• 1994

연구배경: Sulfur dioxide($SO_2$)폭로가 기도에 미치는 영향에 대해서는 잘 알려져 있으나, 폐실질에 미치는 영향에 대해서는 알려진 바가 거의 없다. 본 연구는 산업화된 환경에서 흔히 발견되는 농도의 아황산가스의 단기간폭로가 흰쥐의 폐실질에 미치는 영향에 대해 알아보고, 아황산가스의 폭로기간과 폐의 염증반응 정도와의 연관 관계에 대해 알아보고자 하였다. 방법: 48마리의 흰쥐를 대조군(10마리), 30분 폭로군(9마리), 60분 폭로군(11 마리), 120분 폭로군(18마리)으로 나누어 폭로군에는 5ppm의 $SO_2$가스를 정해진 시간동안 폭로 시켰다. 각 군을 4개의 부분군으로 나누어 폭로직후, 폭로 1일후, 폭로 2일 후, 폭로 3일 후에 기관지 폐포세척술을 시행하였다. 조직학적 검사는 대조군과 120분 폭로군에서 시행하였다. 결과: 1) 기관지 폐포 세척액의 세포반응: 30분 폭로군과 60분폭로군에서 폭로 직후에는 대조군과 유의한 차이는 없었으나, 폭로 24시간 후는 대조군에 비해 임파구는 유의하게 증가하였고(p<0.05), 폭로 48시간 이후는 대조군에 비해 유의한 차이는 없었다. 120분 폭로군에서는 폭로직후에는 대조군과 유의한 차이는 없었고, 폭로 24시간후와 폭로 48시간후에는 총 세포수와 대식세포수, 임파구수가 모두 대조군에 비해 유의하게 증가하였으며(p<0.05), 72시간후에는 대조군과 유의한 차이는 없었다. 2) 120분 폭로군에서 조직학적 소견: 기도(기관과 기관지, 세기관지)에는 경도의 상피세포의 손상과 섬모의 소실이 관찰되었으며 염증세포의 침윤은 관찰되지 않았다. 폐포 간질에는 염증세포의 침윤이 폭로 1일 후부터 관찰되어 3일까지 지속되었으며, 페부종이나 섬유화등의 간질성 변화는 관찰되지 않았다. 결론: 이상의 결과로 실내 작업환경에서 단기간 동안 폭로될 수 있는, 비교적 안전한 것으로 알려진 농도의 $SO_2$가스의 폭로가 흰쥐의 기도에 손상을 가져올 뿐만 아니라 폐실질에도 염증반응을 유발한다는 것을 확인할 수 있었으며, 폐실질의 손상이 지속되는 기간은 폭로기간에 의존한다는 사실을 알 수 있었다.

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2018년도 추계학술논문요약집
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• pp.460-461
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• 2018

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제17권7호
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• pp.498-504
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• 2017

치아를 칫솔질하거나 치약을 사용하는 것과 같은 구강 건강 행위는 구강 건강을 개선하며, 따라서 삶의 질을 향상시키는 중요한 부분이다. 그러나 화학 물질에 대한 연구도 필요한 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구는 구강 건강 행위로 인해 야기되어지는 불소 노출에 미치는 요인을 조사하여 정확한 구강 건강 지침을 제공하고자 한다. ConsExpo 5.0 모델에서 불소 화합물의 경구 노출을 적용한 결과, 일일 불소 인체노출량 추정은 성인남성의 모델 결과 oral external dose는 0.000196 mg/kg, oral acute(internal) dose는 0.000196 mg/kg, oral chronic(internal)dose는 0.000465 mg/kg/day로 추정되었다. 성인여성은 연구결과 oral external dose는 $4.1{\times}10^{-6}mg/kg$, oral acute(internal) dose $4.1{\times}10^{-6}mg/kg$, oral chronic(internal) dose $9.99{\times}10^{-6}mg/kg/day$로 추정되었다.