• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제51권4호
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• pp.1098-1108
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• 2019

Korea's first commercial nuclear power plant at Kori site was permanently shut down in 2017 and is currently in transition stage. Preparatory activities for decommissioning such as historical site assessment, characterization, and dismantling design are being actively carried out for successful D&D (Dismantling and Decontamination) at Kori site. The ultimate goal of decommissioning will be to ensure the safety of workers and residents that may arise during the decommissioning of nuclear facilities and, thereby finally returning the site to its original status in accordance with the release criteria. Upon completion of decommissioning, the resident's safety at a site released will be assessed from the evaluation of dose caused by radionuclides expected to be present or detected at the site. Although the U.S. commercial nuclear power plants with decommissioning experience use different site release criteria, most of them are 0.25 mSv/y. In Korea, both the unrestricted and restricted release criteria have been set to 0.1 mSv/y by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission. However, since the dose is difficult to measure, measurable concentration guideline levels for residual radionuclides that result in dose equivalent to the site release criteria should be derived. For this derivation, site reuse scenario, selection of potential radionuclides, and systematic methodology should be developed in planning stage of Kori site decommissioning. In this paper, for calculation of a preliminary site-specific Derived Concentration Guideline Levels (DCGLs) for the Nuclear Power Plant site, a novel approach has been developed which can fully reflect practical reuse plans of the Kori site by taking into account multiple site reuse scenarios sequentially, thereby striking a remarkable distinction with conventional approaches which considers only a single site scenario.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.84-89
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• 2023

Background: Food consumption is one of the most important routes for radionuclide intake for the public; therefore, there is the need to have a comprehensive understanding of the amount of radioactivity in food products. Consumption of radionuclide-contaminated food could increase potential health risks associated with exposure to radiation such as cancers. The present study aims to determine radioactivity levels in some food products (milk, rice, sugar, and wheat flour) consumed in Mali and to evaluate the radiological effect on the public health from these radionuclides. Materials and Methods: The health impact due to ingestion of radionuclides from these foods was evaluated by the determination of activity concentration of radionuclides ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs using gamma spectrometry system with high-purity germanium detector and radiological hazards index in 16 samples collected in some markets, mall, and shops of Bamako-Mali. Results and Discussion: The average activity concentrations were 9.8±0.6 Bq/kg for ²³⁸U, 8.7±0.5 Bq/kg for ²³²Th, 162.9±7.9 Bq/kg for ⁴⁰K, and 0.0035±0.0005 Bq/kg for ¹³⁷Cs. The mean values of radiological hazard parameters such as annual committed effective dose, internal hazard index, and risk assessment from this work were within the dose criteria limits given by international organizations (International Commission on Radiological Protection and United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation) and national standards. Conclusion: The results show low public exposure to radioactivity and associated radiological impact on public health. Nevertheless, this study stipulates vital data for future research and regulatory authorities in Mali.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.63-70
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• 1993

암반동굴 타입의 저준위방사성폐기물 처분장의 보수적인 안전성평가를 처분장 선원항 REPS 모델을 사용하여 수행하였다. 신뢰할만한 핵종별 침출율 예측을 위하여 REPS 모델에서 콘크리트 구조물의 열하시간, 부석의 형태와 부식율. 드럼표면의 부식면적 비, 그리고 핵종의 특성등이 고려되고 있다. 예비평가의 결과로 Cs-137, Ni-63, Sr-90등이 주요한 핵종임을 알 수 있다. 파라메타의 불확실성과 민감도분석을 위하여 라틴하이퍼큐브 샘플링과 Rank Correlation 기법이 사용되었다. 침입자 시나리오를 적용하였을 경우의 예상 피폭선량도 허용치 이하임과 처분장의 환경영향평가에 있어서 비교적 불확실성이 적은 Near Field의 중요성에 대한 인식이 새롭게 강조되어야 할 필요가 있음을 알 수 있었다.

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2018년도 추계학술논문요약집
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• pp.379-379
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• 2018

MXenes are a new family of 2D transition metal carbide nanosheets analogous to graphene (Lv et al., 2017; Sun et al., 2018). Due to the easy availability, hydrophilic behavior, and tunable chemistry of MXenes, their use in applications for environmental pollution remediation such as heavy metal adsorption has recently been explored (Li et al., 2017). In this study, three-dimensional (3D) MXene ($Ti_3C_2T_x$) films with high adsorption capacity, good mechanical strength, and high selectivity for specific radionuclide from aquose solution were successfully fabricated by a polymeric precursor method using vacuum-assisted filtration. The highest removal efficiency on the films was 99.54%, 95.61%, and 82.79% for $Sr^{2+}$, $Co^{2+}$, and $Cs^+$, respectively, using a film dosage of 0.06 g/ L in the initial radionuclide solution (each radionuclide concentration = 1 mg/L and pH = 7.0). Especially, the adsorption process reached an equilibrium within 30 min. The expanded interlayer spacing of $Ti_3C_2T_x$ sheets in MXene films showed excellent radionuclide selectivity ($Cs^+$ and/or $Sr^{2+}/Co^{2+}$) (Simon, 2017). Besides, the MXene films was not only able to be easily retrieved from an aqueous solution by filtration after decontamination processes, but also to selectively separate desired target radionuclides in the solutions. Therefore, the newly developed MXene ($Ti_3C_2T_x$) films has a great potential for radionuclide removal from aqueous solution.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2016

Background: It is very difficult to set a regulatory guidance or criteria for the protection of non-human species from the ionizing radiation, because there are no generally or internationally accepted methods for demonstrating the compliance with such criteria. It is needed that Korea develop the primary dose rate standards for the protection of both aquatic and terrestrial biota in the near future. Materials and Methods: The potential dose rates due to both external and internal radiation exposures to marine organisms such as plaice/flounder, gray mullet, and brown seaweed collected within territorial seas around the Korean Peninsula were estimated. Results and Discussion: The total dose rates to plaice/flounder, gray mullet and brown seaweed due to $^{40}K$, a primordial radionuclide in marine environment, were found to be 0.2%, 0.08% and 0.3% of approximately the values of the Derived Consideration Reference Levels (DCRLs, i.e. $1-10mGy{\cdot}d^{-1}$), respectively, as suggested by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) publication 124. The total dose rates to marine fishes and brown seaweed due to anthropogenic radionuclides such as $^{90}Sr$, $^{137}Cs$ and $^{239+240}Pu$ were considered to be negligible compared to the total dose rate due to $^{40}K$. The external exposure to benthic fish due to all radionuclides was much higher than that of pelagic fish. Conclusion: From this study, it is recommended that the further study is required to develop a national regulatory guidance for the evaluation of doses to non-human species.

• 한국지반환경공학회 논문집
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• 제15권12호
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• pp.61-69
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• 2014

Carboxymethyl-${\beta}$-cyclodextrin(${\beta}$-CMCD)은 소수성과 친수성의 성질을 모두 가지고 있는 생분해성 계면활성제로 복합오염토양의 동시 처리에 적용이 가능한 장점이 있다. 본 연구에서는 코발트(Co), 스트론튬(Sr) 및 세슘(Cs) 등의 방사성 핵종 중금속으로 오염된 토양에서 이들의 탈착 거동을 살펴보고, 탈착제로서 CMCD의 효과를 평가하였다. 탈착속도 실험에서 Co, Sr 및 Cs 모두 1~3시간 이내에 탈착평형에 도달하였으며, 카올린에서의 탈착률이 자연토양에서 보다 높게 나타났다. 또한 탈착용액으로 CMCD를 2 g/L를 첨가한 경우 탈착률이 5~20 %가량 증가하였으며, 핵종 중금속별 탈착률은 Co > Cs > Sr 순으로 나타났다. 탈착실험 결과를 다양한 탈착속도 모델에 적용한 결과, pseudo-second order kinetic model을 가장 잘 따르는 것으로 나타났으며, 탈착속도는 Cs > Co > Sr 순으로 나타났다. 흡/탈착 간 이력현상은 Sr > Co > Cs 순으로 탈착속도가 느릴수록 이력현상이 커지는 것으로 나타나, 탈착속도가 흡/탈착 간 이력현상을 야기하는 주요 요인 중 하나로 판단되었다. CMCD의 주입으로 탈착량이 증가하고 흡/탈착 간 이력현상이 감소하는 효과를 보였으나, 과량 주입 시에도 토양에 흡착된 핵종 중금속을 완전히 탈착시키지는 못하는 것으로 평가되었다.

• Carbon letters
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.6-12
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• 2002

A study on the electrosorption of $Co^{2+}$ and $Sr^{2+}$ ions onto a porous activated carbon fiber (ACF) was performed to treat radioactive liquid wastes resulting from chemical or electrochemical decontamination and to regenerate the spent carbon electrode. The result of batch electrosorption experiments showed that applied negative potential increased adsorption kinetics and capacity in comparison with open-circuit potential (OCP) adsorption for $Co^{2+}$ and $Sr^{2+}$ ions. The adsorbed $Co^{2+}$ and $Sr^{2+}$ ions are released from the carbon fiber by applying a positive potential on the electrode, showing the reversibility of the sorption process. The possibility of application of the electrosorption technique to the separation of radionuclides was examined. The result of a selective removal experiments of a single component from a mixed solution showed that perfect separation of $Co^{2+}$ and $Sr^{2+}$ ions was possible by the electrosorption process.

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제27권6호
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• pp.425-436
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• 2018

To establish initial response scenarios for nuclear accidents around the Kori nuclear power plants, the potential for radionuclide diffusion was estimated using numerical experiments and statistical techniques. This study used the numerical model WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) and FLEXPART (Flexible Particle dispersion model) to calculate the three-dimensional wind field and radionuclide dispersion, respectively. The wind patterns observed at Gijang, near the plants, and at meteorological sites in Busan, were reproduced and applied to estimates of seasonally averaged wind fields. The distribution of emitted radionuclides are strongly associated with characteristics of topography and synoptic wind patterns over nuclear power plants. Since the terrain around the power plants is complex, estimates of radionuclide distribution often produce unexpected results when wind data from different sites are used in statistical calculations. It is highly probable that in the summer and autumn, radionuclides move south-west, towards the downtown metropolitan area. This study has clear limitations in that it uses the seasonal wind field rather than the daily wind field.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.173-178
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• 2016

Background: In situ gamma spectrometry has been used to measure environmental radiation, assumptions are usually made about the depth distribution of the radionuclides of interest in the soil. The main limitation of in situ gamma spectrometry lies in determining the depth distribution of radionuclides. The objective of this study is to develop a method for subsurface characterization by in situ measurement. Materials and Methods: The peak to valley method based on the ratio of counting rate between the photoelectric peak and Compton region was applied to identify the depth distribution. The peak to valley method could be applied to establish the relation between the spectrally derived coefficients (Q) with relaxation mass per unit area (${\beta}$) for various depth distribution in soil. The in situ measurement results were verified by MCNP simulation and calculated correlation equation. In order to compare the depth distributions and contamination levels in decommissioning KRR site, in situ measurement and sampling results were compared. Results and Discussion: The in situ measurement results and MCNP simulation results show a good correlation for laboratory measurement. The simulation relationship between Q and source burial for the source layers have exponential relationship for a variety depth distributions. We applied the peak to valley method to contaminated decommissioning KRR site to determine a depth distribution and initial activity without sampling. The observed results has a good correlation, relative error between in situ measurement with sampling result is around 7% for depth distribution and 4% for initial activity. Conclusion: In this study, the vertical activity distribution and initial activity of $^{137}Cs$ could be identifying directly through in situ measurement. Therefore, the peak to valley method demonstrated good potential for assessment of the residual radioactivity for site remediation in decommissioning and contaminated site.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.302-307
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• 1989

방사성폐기물 저장용기에 생긴 결함으로부터의 핵종유출을 분석하였다. 결함은 부식이나 균열으로부터 기인하며 저장용기의 재질이나 부식 부산물층을 관통하게 된다. 본 연구는 결함을 통한 핵종의 이동을 다루었으며 결함이 생기게 되는 방법에 관해서는 고려하지 않았다. 다수의 작은 결함으로부터의 핵종유출이 중요하며 저장용기가 없다고 가정한 폐기물고화체로부터의 핵종유출과 거의 비슷함을 보여준다. 비록 부분적으로 파손된 저장용기일지라도 핵종유출에 대하여서 장기간에 걸쳐 중요한 방벽의 역할을 하지만, 작은 결함의 수가 많아지면 방벽으로서의 효과가 줄어들게 된다.