• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.8
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• pp.3017-3026
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• 2022

The ¹³¹Cs radioisotope with a short half-life time and high average radiation energy can treat the cancer effectively in prostate brachytherapy. The typical ¹³¹Cs production processes have a separation step of the cesium from ¹³¹Ba to obtain a high specific radioactivity. Herein, we suggested a novel ¹³¹Cs separation method based on the Ba²⁺ adsorption of alginate beads. It is necessary to reduce the affinity of alginate beads to cesium ions for a high production yield. The carboxyl group of the alginate beads was replaced by a sulfonate group to reduce the cesium affinity while reinforcing their affinity to barium ions. The modified beads exhibited superior Ba²⁺ adsorption performances to native beads. In the fixed-bed column tests, the saturation time and adsorption capacity could be estimated with the Yoon-Nelson model in various injection flow rates and initial concentrations. In terms of the Cs elution, the modified alginate showed better performance (i.e., an elution over 88%) than the native alginate (i.e., an elution below 10%), indicating that the functional group modification was effective in reducing the affinity to cesium ions. Therefore, the separation of cesium from the barium using the modified alginate is expected to be an additional option to produce ¹³¹Cs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.80-85
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• 2021

Radionuclides, particularly radioactive cesium (Cs), are a concern of human health in some nuclear power accidents. It could lead to a high level of intracellular accumulation due to its high radioactivity and long half-life. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a method to remove Cs from wastewater. Herein, we synthesized activated carbon fibers (ACFs) doped with Prussian blue (PB) via in situ methods. We classified samples by their preparation method as either physical (PB-ACF-A) or physicochemical (PB-ACF-B) syntheses for comparison. The PB-ACF-B sample showed a significant surface loss compared to PB-ACF-A but a better ¹³³Cs adsorption capacity. All samples fit well to Langmuir isotherms and the values of qmax were directly correlated to the amount of PB on the surface of the ACFs. Adsorption characteristics were further confirmed by the calculated free energy, enthalpy, and entropy.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.64-68
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• 2019

Purpose In the preparation process for N-13 Ammonia injections, there were radioactive medicines adsorbed on filters remarkably. Hereby, we have compared the adsorption rate and quality test on Millex GS filter and Satorious Minisart filter, both representatively hydrophilic sterilizing filters, also evaluated which filter is more accommodative for N-13 Ammonia injection. Materials and Methods The filters used for sterilization of N-13 Ammonia injections were Millex GS filter($0.22{\mu}m$) mand Satorious Minisart filter ($0.2{\mu}m$), which are generally used to strain aqueous solutions. After the N-13 Ammonia passes through each sterilization filter, the adsorption rate of the filter (n=10) is determined by measuring not only the radioactivity through the filter also the amount of radioactivity remaining in it using a Dose Calibrator. The N-13 Ammonia injections after each filter is tested by the quality control test to conform to the Samsung Medical Center standard. Results The ratio of radioactivity passed through Millex GS indicated $29.0{\pm}17.6%$. Satorious Minisart filters output was $80.9{\pm}3.2%$, respectively. Each ratio of radioactivity adsorbed on the sterile filter was $71.0{\pm}17.6%$ for Millex GS and $19.1{\pm}3.2%$ for the Satorious Minisart filters, respectively. Furthermore, on the ratio of filtered radioactivity, Using Satorious Minisart filter showed about 2.8 times higher than using Millex GS filter. The quality testing of N-13 Ammonia injections through each filter met the Samsung Medical Center standard. Conclusion The Millex GS filter is composed of cellulose acetate and cellulose nitrate, whereas the Satorious Minisart filter if composed only of cellulose acetate. Therefore, the presence of cellulose nitrate in the membrane seems to have made differences. Therefore, the use of Satorious Minisart filter in the preparation of N-13 Ammonia injection solution minimized the loss of radioactive medicines due to filter adsorption, thereby improving the synthesis yield.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.7
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• pp.385-390
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• 2017

This study investigated removal characteristic of soluble Cs in water by RPT (Radioactivity pollutant treatment) with coagulation and sedimentation. The RPT conducted with various chemical and natural coagulants to remove the soluble Cs which consisted pre-adsorption, Sedimentation and post-adsorption. Natural absorbent included Illite and zeolite. Especially, Illite divided LPI (Large Particle Illite) and SPI (Small Particle Illite) by grain size. Also, Chemical coagulants included high basicity PAC (poly aluminum chloride). The adsorbent had a plate structure mainly composed of quartz, albite and muscovite. The surface area were $4.201m^2/g$ and $4.227m^2/g$ and the particle sizes were $197.4-840.9{\mu}m$ and $3.28-53.57{\mu}m$, respectively. The adsorption efficiency of the natural Illite was 82.8% for LPI and 85.6% for SPI. The removal efficiency of turbidity, which was an indirect indicator of adsorbent recovery, was 96.4% and 98.3%, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2005.11b
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• pp.236-244
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• 2005

Radioactive wastes arising from a wide range of human activities are in many different physical and chemical forms, contaminated with varying radioactivity. Their common feature is the potential hazard associated with their radioactivity and the need to manage them in such a way as to protect the human environment. The geological disposal is regarded as the most reasonable and effective way to safely disposal high-level radioactive wastes in the world. The conceptual model of geological disposal in China is based on a multi-barrier system that combines an isolating geological environment with an engineered barrier system. The buffer is one of the main engineered barriers for HLW repository. The buffer material is expected to maintain its low water permeability, self-sealing property, radio nuclides adsorption and retardation property, thermal conductivity, chemical buffering property, overpack supporting property, stress buffering property over a long period of time. Benotite is selected as the main content of buffer material that can satisfy above. GMZ deposit is selected as the candidate supplier for Chinese buffer material of High Level Radioactive waste repository. This paper presents geological features of GMZ deposit and basic property of GMZ Na bentonite. GMZ bentonite deposit is a super large scale deposits with high content of Montmorillonite (about $75\%$) and GMZ-l, which is Na-bentonite produced from GMZ deposit is selected as reference material for Chinese buffer material study.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.89-93
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• 2024

Accidents at nuclear facilities and nuclear power plants led to leaks of large amounts of radioactive substances. Of the various radioactive nuclides released, ¹³⁷Cs are radioactive substances generated during the fission of uranium. Therefore, due to the high fission yield (6.09%), strong gamma rays, and a relatively long half-life (30 years), a rapid and efficient removal method and a study of adsorbents are needed. Accordingly, an adsorbent was prepared using Prussian blue (PB), a material that selectively adsorbs radioactive cesium. As a result of evaluating the adsorption performance with the prepared adsorbent, it was confirmed that 82% of the removal efficiency was obtained, and most of the cesium was rapidly adsorbed within 10 to 15 minutes. The purpose of this study was to adsorb cesium using the Prussian blue alginate bead and to compare the change in detection efficiency according to the amount of adsorbent added for quantitative evaluation. However, in this case, it is difficult to determine the detection efficiency using a standard source with the same conditions as the measurement sample, so the efficiency change of the HPGe detector according to the different heights of Prussian blue was calculated through MCNP simulation using certified standard materials (1 L, Marinelli beaker) for radioactivity measurement. It is expected to derive a relational equation that can calculate detection efficiency through an efficiency curve according to the volume of Prussian blue, quantitatively evaluate the activity at the same time as the adsorption of radioactive nuclides in actual contaminated water and use it in the field of nuclear facility operation and dismantling in the future.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.71-80
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• 1978

In an attempt to elucidate the fate of 3,4-DCA and TCAB in various French soils, uniformly $^{14}C-ring-labeled$ 3,4-DCA and TCAB mere utilized and the following results obtained. 1) The rate of breakdown of $^{14}C-3,4-DCA$ into $^{14}CO_2$ was relatively higher in the early stage than that in the later stage. In 6 months of incubation in alkaline soil (pH 7.9), the rate was as high as 6.5% at dose 1 (1.5 ppm) and as low as 1.92% at dose 2(94 ppm), whereas in organic acid soil (pH 5.5) the rate was 4.91% at dose 1 and 4.24% at dose 2, respectively, without making any great difference between the two levels. 2) At dose 1, 47.70% of the initial radioactivity of $^{14}C-3,4-DCA$ was bound to soil in organic acid soil and 29.49% bound in alkaline soil, whereas at dose 2, 38.40% in organic acid soil and 20.30% in alkaline soil, respectively. 3) The amount of formation of $^{14}C-TCAB$ from $^{14}C-3,4-DCA$ seems to depend largely on the concentration of 3,4-DCA applied rather than on soil types. At dose 2, the amount was 50% of the total radioactivity extracted in organic acid soil and 30% in alkaline soil, corresponding to 1.8% and 1.4% of the initial radioactivity applied to soil, respectively. Cis-TCAB also seemed to be formed at dose 2 in both soils. Meanwhile, at dose 1, even though $^{14}C-TCAB$ was detected in trace on tlc and glc in both soils, the amount does not exceed 2 to 3% of the radioactivity extracted, corresponding to 0.05 to 0.1% of the initial radioactivity. 4) The rate of breakdown of $^{14}C-TCAB$ into $^{14}CO_2$ ranged from 0.05 to 0.20% in all the four soils. Most of the applied $^{14}C-TCAB$ remained intact after 3 months, not producing any detectable metabolites. 5) The fact that much more $^{14}C-TCAB$ was adsorbed to alkaline soil than to the other soils strongly indicates that in alkaline condition trans-isomer was converted tocisisomer which has the higher adsorption affinity than the former.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.121-126
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• 1980

Selection methods of well labelled insulin fractions based on two different criteria were compared to establish an efficient low level RIA of insulin and to elucidate the correlation between the immunoreactivity and the charcoal-adsorptivity of the radioiodine labelled insulin. The results indicated that the selection of well labelled insulin fractions by means of a charcoal-adsorption test is inappropriate. Generally, the distribution of radioactivity antibody-bindability, and charcoal-adsorptivity of the labelled insulin was not consistent with each other. Thus. the selection should be carried out for every labelling batch to get the utmost assay reliability by antibody-bindability but not by charcoal-adsorptivity. By using the well selected labelled insulin fractions based on antibody-binding, a correct assay for a reference serum was possible, and by extending the incubation time upto 96 hrs, a sharp dose response curve could be obtained even in the range of below 5 $\mu$U/ml standard insulin doses.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.435-443
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• 1998

Leak-before-break(LBB) approach has been shown to be both cost effective and risk reductive when applied to high energy Piping in nuclear Power Plants. For the Korean Next Generation Reactor (KNGR) development, LBB application is considered for the Main Steam Line(MSL) piping inside containment. Unlike the primary system leakages, the MSL leak detection systems must be based on principles other than radioactivity measurements. Among humidity, heat and acoustic noise currently being considered as indicators of leakage, we explored humidity as an effective one and developed ceramic-based humidity sensor which can be qualified for LBB applications. The ceramic material, sintered and annealed MgCr$_2$O$_4$-TiO$_2$, is shown to increase its electrical conductivity drastically upon water vapor adsorption over the entire temperature range of interest. With this ceramic sensor specimen, we suggested installation-inside-the-piping method by which we can detect leakage more rapidly and sensitively. In this paper, we describe the progress in the development and characterization of ceramic humidity sensor for the LBB application to the MSL of KNGR.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.174-184
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• 2015

In the present study, the metabolism of [$^{14}C$]butachlor was investigated in rice plant according to the OECD test guideline No. 501. [$^{14}C$]Butachlor was treated as granule to paddy water by application of 1.5 kg ingredient (a.i.)/ha at the 3~4 leave stage of rice plant. At 85 days after treatment (DAT), samples of panicle, foliage, and roots were taken for radioactivity analysis. Upon harvest at 126 DAT, rice plants were separated into brown rice, husk, straw, and root parts. Amounts of total radioactivity absorbed by rice plant ranged from 8.6 to 9.8% of applied radioactivity (AR). Total radioactive residues (TRRs) of rice plant at 126 DAT was the highest as 4.0421 mg/kg (7.3% AR) in the straw followed by 1.4595 mg/kg (2.4% AR) in the root, 0.7257 mg/kg (0.1% AR) in the husk. The lowest level recording 0.1020 mg/kg (0.1% AR) was found in brown rice. Each part was extracted with various solvents and solvent/water mixtures. Greater than 70% of TRRs was readily extractable from foliage, panicle, husk and straw. Only 34.0% of the brown rice and 43% of root based on TRRs were extractable showing that the residues were completely assimilated in the plant tissue. The level of non-extractable radioactivity was ranged from 26.2 to 66.0% of TRRs. From this study, five tentative major metabolites (M1, M2, M3, M4 and M5) were observed in rice extracts. Among the metabolites, 2,6-diethylaniline assigned as M4 was identified in rice plant by comparing to retention time of reference standard. Un-metabolized butachlor was not detected in any fractions. In soil extracts, N-(butoxymethyl)-N-(2,6-diethyl phenyl)acetamide, 2,6-diethylaniline, M2, M3 and M5 were observed. And the concentration of butachlor was low level (ca. 0.03 mg/kg).