• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.11-39
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• 2018

Tritium and $^{14}C$ are two most important radionuclides released from nuclear facilities to the environment, and $^{14}C$ contributes dominant radiation dose to the population around nuclear power plants. This paper presents an overview of the production, pathway, species and levels of tritium and $^{14}C$ in nuclear facilities, mainly nuclear power plants. The methods for sampling and collection of different species of tritium and $^{14}C$ in the discharge gas from the stack in the nuclear facilities, atmosphere of the nuclear facilities and environment are presented, and the features of different methods are reviewed. The on-line monitoring methods of gaseous tritium and $^{14}C$ in air and laboratory measurement methods for sensitive determination of tritium and $^{14}C$ in collected samples, water and environmental solid samples are also discussed in detailed. Meanwhile, the challenges in the determination and speciation analysis of tritium and $^{14}C$ are also highlighted.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.469-478
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• 2022

Tritium was extracted from tritium-contaminated aluminum samples by heating it in a high-temperature furnace at 200, 300, or 400 ℃ for 15 h. The extracted tritium was analyzed by using a liquid scintillation counter (LSC); the sample thicknesses were 0.4 and 2 mm. The differences in tritium extraction over time were also investigated by cutting aluminum stick samples into several pieces (1, 5, 10, and 15) with the same thickness, and subsequently heating them. The results revealed that there are most of the hydrated material based on tritium on the surface of aluminum. When the temperature was increased from 200 or 300 ℃-400 ℃, there are no large differences in the heating duration required for the radioactivity concentration to be lower than the MDA value. Additionally, at the same thickness, because the surface of aluminum is only contaminated to tritiated water, cutting the aluminum samples into several pieces (5, 10, and 15) did not have a substantial effect on the tritium extraction fraction at any of the applied heating temperatures (200, 300, or 400 ℃). The proportion of each tritium-release materials (aluminum hydrate based on tritium) were investigated via diverse analyses (LSC, XRD, and SEM-EDS).

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.267-276
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• 2015

Several analyses on tritium that is the largest release of gas or liquid radioactive waste from domestic PWR and PHWR NPPs were carried out, such as release comparison, directional frequency of wind and tritium behavior changes in environmental samples. First of all, analysis result showed that tritium released from PHWR was more than ten times as gas and double to three times as liquid in comparison to PWR in 2013. Independent release management in NPP units is needed to precisely control and analyze tritium, since there were 2 units of some NPPs having the same amount of release during analysis. In analysis on frequency of wind direction, average range showed 1.7 to 11.5% by 16-point compass. In case of analysis on sampling points by wind direction, Result showed most of the sampling points are right in places. However, There are some areas needed to examine. In analysis on tritium concentration changes in environmental samples, tritium concentration near NPPs was higher than one far away from NPPs. In case of environmental samples far from PWR, a trace of tritium occur. While, tritium concentration near NPPs was more than or equal to one further from PHWR. In conclusion, tritium occurs considerably in PHWR and is lower than standard in samples. but, it is still detected. Therefore, it is needed to strengthen control in system in NPPs and to consistently monitor tritium in environment.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.96-107
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• 1991

At the design stage of a plant, the plausible causes and pathways of release of hazardous materials are not clearly known. Thus there exist large amount of uncertainties on the consequences resulting from the operation of a fusion plant. In order to better handle such uncertain circumstances, we utilize the Probabilistic Risk Assessment(PRA) for the safety analyses on fusion power plant. In this paper, we concentrate on the tritium release accident. We develop a simple model that describes the process and flow of tritium, by which we figure out the locations of tritium inventory and their vulnerability. We construct event tree models that lead to various levels of tritium release from abnormal initiating events. Branch parameters on the event tree are assessed from the fault tree analysis. Based on the event tree models we construct influence diagram models which are more useful for the parameter updating and analysis. We briefly discuss the parameter updating scheme, and finally develop the methodology to obtain the predictive distribution of consequences resulting from the operating a fusion power plant. We also discuss the way to utilize the results of testing on sub-systems to reduce the uncertain ties on over all system.

• 대한방사선방어학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.04a
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• pp.200-201
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• 2010

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 2023

Tritium is used in various types of parts such as luminous bodies. These parts are maintained for inspection and replacement at a facility licensed to use radioactive isotopes. This study analyzed the concentration of tritium in working facilities to supplement and develop the safety management system for the maintenance environment of parts containing tritium. In addition, the internal exposure dose was evaluated to analyze the effects of leaked tritium when continuously exposed to workers. As a result of evaluating the internal exposure dose for workers for 30 days, the maximum was 9.70 μSv and the average was 1.45 μSv. Based on the results of this study, the internal radiation exposure safety of workers handling parts containing tritium was confirmed, and additional protective measures to prevent unnecessary exposure to tritium were suggested. This study is expected to contribute to supplementing and developing the radiation safety management system.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.251-262
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• 2004

It is for the purpose of investigating the tritium distribution in the leachates, the raw and treated leachates and the condensates of the methane gas, which have occurred from domestic solid waste landfills. Also it aims to measure the tritium distribution level on the colloid size of the leachates, the raw and treated leachates. It was found that the major inorganic contaminants of the leachates were Na, K, Ca, Mg, $NH{_4}^+$-N and $Cl^-$. The mean tritium level of the raw leachates of the investigated 13 landfill sites for 6 months was 17 ~ 1196 TU. It corresponded to a several scores or hundreds of magnitude higher value than that of the normal environmental sample level except for two landfill sites. Also such a high concentration of the tritium was found in the treated leachates and methane gas condensates as well. Nevertheless it is important to emphasize that the tritium level which was found in this research is about 100 times lower than the tritium limit for the drinking water quality. And most of the tritium existed in the dissolved colloid of the leachate of which the colloid size is below $0.45{\mu}m$. Also, according to the tritium analysis results of the leachates after filtration with $0.45{\mu}m$ membrane filter for some landfills, it is likely that some tritium of the leachate would be distributed in a colloid size over $0.45{\mu}m$. In general the relationship between the tritium and other contaminants in the raw leachate was low, but it was relatively high between the tritium and TOC. However, the tritium content in the leachate had no meaningful relationship with the scale, hydrological characteristics and age of the landfill.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

China's rapid economic growth has resulted in significant environmental side effects. Therefore, China has been interested in reducing her dependence on foreign oil and gas by developing technologies needed for hydrogen, in addition to her increasing energy mix of nuclear and renewable energy form, such as solar and wind power. There are three isotopes of hydrogen, i.e. protium (P or H), deuterium (D), and tritium (T). Both deuterium and tritium are important materials in nuclear fuel cycle industry. Tritium is one of the critical radioactive nuclides. Planning for and implementing contamination control as a part of normal operation and maintenance activities is an important function in any hydrogen facility, especially tritium facility. The development of hydrogen isotopes analysis is the key issues in this area. Mass spectrometry (MS) with medium (about 600) and high resolution (> 1,400) is commercially available; however, the routine analysis of hydrogen isotopes is done with low-resolution MS (< 200) in China. This paper summarizes the progress of MS measurement technology for hydrogen isotope abundance in China, focusing on our lab's research program and technical status. An analyzing method has been introduced for accurate measurement of tritium abundance in the H.D.T system by low resolution MAT-253 MS. The quotient of compression ratio coefficient is determined by building up equipment for laboratory-scale preparation of secondary standard gases and by considering the difference in sensitivity between hydrogen isotopes. The results show that the measured value is reproducible within the relative error range of 0.8% for gas samples of different tritium abundance.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.437-442
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• 2023

This study conducted a comparative analysis of dose evaluations for ingestion of animal products based on data from nuclear power plants in the Republic of Korea, using methodologies from the Republic of Korea, 'IAEA TRS-472', and 'CSA N288.1:14'. The research focused on tritium, the most significant constituent among the gaseous and liquid radioactive emissions. The combined evaluation of tritium, in the form of tritiated water (HTO) and organically bound tritium (OBT), yielded results of 1.143 μSv y^-1 for the Republic of Korea, 0.965μSv y^-1 for 'TRS-472', and 0.886μSv y^-1 for 'N288.1:14'. Despite the Republic of Korea's guidelines not considering OBT, the evaluation results for the Republic of Korea were higher compared to other methodologies. This discrepancy was attributed to the unique approach of not considering the moisture content per individual in the calculations of plant and feed concentration in the Republic of Korea and the simultaneous consideration of specific-activity model and transfer model. The study highlights the necessity of developing dose evaluation models tailored to regional characteristics and underscores the importance of including OBT in these evaluations.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.419-423
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• 2007

Environmental low level tritium analysis was studied using liquid scintillation counter(LSC) and electrolytic enrichment method. To obtain low level blank count, various counting vials were investigated. Among them, teflon coated PE vial had a lower blank count rate (1.86 cpm) and we obtained 2.01 Bq/L detection and tritium separation factor was above 20. LSC counting efficiency obtained $28.70{\pm}0.27%$ using the NIST tritium standard water sample.