• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.631-643
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• 2018

Uranium and radon concentrations in groundwater from 80 wells from Daejeon area were measured to determine the range of concentrations according to the geology. The median uranium content of groundwater was $11.14{\mu}g/L$ for the two-mica granite, $0.90{\mu}g/L$ for the biotite granite, and $0.47{\mu}g/L$ for the Ogcheon group. The median radon content of groundwates was 114.3 Bq/L for the two-mica granite, 61.6 Bq/L for the biotite granite, and 42.2 Bq/L for the Ogchon group, respectively. The uranium content of two-mica granite is 3.78 mg/ kg, which is slightly higher than that of biotite granite 3.20 mg/kg. However, the uranium content in groundwatewr of two-mica granite groundwater is much higher than that of biotite granite. This can be explained by the fact that the two-mica granite is vulnerable to weathering than biotite granite, so uranium in mineral is easily leached into groundwater. The exceeding rate of samples having uranium content above $30{\mu}g/L$ in granite area was 23.8%, which is higher than that of 6.7% in Jurassic granite in Korea. On the other hand, the exceeding rate of samples having radon content above 148 Bq/L in granite rate area was 31.0% which is similar to that of Jurassic granite area of 31.7%.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.221-226
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• 1979

The soils and plants were sampled from 26 sites of Deogpyeongri, Goisangun, which had been found to be one of the uranium deposit areas. Uranium levels of the samples were determined and the amount of uranium intake by the residents through the food-chains was estimated. The average uranium concentration of Deogpyeongri soils was 15.5ppm with a range of from 4.9 to 43.6ppm showing rather higher values than those of control area, Yangjugun and Icheongun, Gyeonggi-do. The average uranium content of the plant samples from Deogpyeongri was 0.69ppm, about twice the uranium concentration of the control samples. The daily intake of uranium by an adult lived on the agricultural food stuffs produced in Deogpyeongri, was estimated to be about $247{\mu}g$, eqivalent to $0.83{\times}10^{-4}{\mu}Ci$, which is much higher activity compared to the daily intake of uranium by New York citizen, $1.3{\mu}g$. However the calculated uranium level accumulated in the human body of Deogpyeong area was $2.03{\times}10^{-4}{\mu}Ci$ which is still lower than $0.2{\mu}Ci$, the maximum permissible burden in total body recommended by the ICRP.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.553-566
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• 2018

The occurrence of natural radionuclides like uranium and radon in groundwater was hydrochemically examined based on 40 well groundwaters in Mungyeong area. The range of electrical conductivity (EC) value in the study area was $68{\sim}574{\mu}S/cm$. In addition to the increase of EC value, the content of cations and anions also tends to increase. Uranium concentrations ranged from $0.03{\sim}169{\mu}g/L$ (median value, $0.82{\mu}g/L$) and radon concentrations ranged from 70~30,700 pCi/L (median value, 955 pCi/L). Only 1 out of 40 wells (2.5%) showed uranium concentration exceeding the maximum contaminant level (MCL; $30{\mu}g/L$) proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Radon concentrations of eight wells (20%) exceeded AMCL(Alternative maximum contaminant level) of the US EPA (4,000 pCi/L). Four out of those eight wells even exceeded Finland's guideline level (8,100 pCi/L). When concentrations of uranium and radon were investigated in terms of geology, the highest values are generally associated with granite. The uranium and radon levels observed in this study are low in comparison to those of other countries with similar geological settings. It is likely that the measured value was lower than the actual content due to the inflow of shallow groundwater by the lack of casing and grouting.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 1985

The fissile content of PWR spent fuel is higher than that of natural uranium which is normal fuel for CANDU type reactor. Investigated are the concepts of PWR spent fuel utilization in CANDU type reactor to diversify uranium resource and partially to solve storage problems of PWR spent fuel being gradually accumulated. Nuclear characteristics of uranium-plutonium mixed oxide fuel loaded in CANDU type reactor are analysed using the WIMS/D computer code. In this study, analyses are solely carried out upon the current CANDU type reactor design without changingany reactivity control devices.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.20 no.4 s.58
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• pp.38-44
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• 2005

Cryptand resins were synthesized with 1-aza-15-crown-5 macrocyclic ligand attached to styrene divinylbenzene (DVB) copolymer with crosslink of $1\%,\;2\%,\;5\%\;and\;10\%$ by substitution reaction. The synthesis of these resins was confirmed by content of chlorine, element analysis, and IR-spectrum. The effects of pH, time, dielectric constant of solvent and crosslink on adsorption of uranium$(UO_2^{2+})$ ion were investigated. The uranium ion was showed fast adsorption on the resins above pH 3. The optimum equilibrium time for adsorption of metallic ions was about two hours. The adsorption selectivity determined in ethanol was in increasing order uranium$(UO_2^{2+})$ > zinc$(Zn^{2+})$ > samarium$(Sm^{3+})$ ion. The adsorption was in order of $1\%>2\%>5\%>10\%$ crosslink resin and adsorption of resin decreased in proportion to order of dielectric constant of solvents.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.86-95
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• 2022

Background: As high concentrations of uranium and radon have been detected in some areas in Korea, it is considered necessary to investigate natural radioactive materials in the Gwangju area. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater in Gwangju and investigate the distribution characteristics of uranium and radon, which are naturally radioactive substances. Methods: To determine the uranium and radon concentrations in groundwater according to the geology of the Gwangju area, we measured 62 groundwater wells. A geological distribution map of uranium and radon content was prepared for this study. Results: The groundwater type, defined using a Piper diagram, was mainly Ca-HCO₃. The concentration of uranium in the groundwater ranged from 0 to 29.3 ㎍/L, with a mean of 3.3 ㎍/L and a median of 0.9 ㎍/L. The median concentration of uranium in groundwater was highest in alluvium, granitic gneiss, and biotite granite (classified by geological unit), in that order. The concentration of radon in the groundwater ranged from 4.8 to 313.2 Bq/L, with a mean of 75.6 Bq/L and a median of 59.6 Bq/L. The median concentration of radon in groundwater was highest in biotite granite, alluvium, and granitic gneiss, in that order. As a result of the correlation analysis of groundwater in the study area, there was no significant correlation between uranium and radon. Conclusions: In this study area, uranium was shown to be far below the concentrations allowed by drinking water quality standards, but radon concentrations exceeded drinking water quality monitoring standards in 11% of the samples. It was judged that appropriate measures, such as the installation of radon reduction facilities, will be required after a thorough review of high-concentration radon detection sites of in the research area.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.215-227
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• 1980

The rock units of Goesan area in the Ogcheon metamor phic terrain established on the basis of field criteria should be redefined into following sequence. Based on shear senses in secondary small structures which are usually observable in the investigated area, the stratigraphy can be lithologically divided into the lower pelite, pebbly mudstone, upper pelite, quartzite and psammite unit in ascending order. This conclusion is in discordance with a previous opinion; Munjuri formation and Guryongsan formation may be equivalent to upper pelite unit, Iwonri formation and Hwanggangri formation to pebbly mudstone. From this, it may be inferred that isoclinal overturned folds repeatly occur in the area. The uranium bearing coaly thin layers in upper pelite unit have relatively broad exposures in Deogpyeongri block of Goesan area along culmination zone in the central part of the investigated area. It is believed that structural feature in the block recognized complexly refolded synform plunging to southwest. Mineralogical and radiometric studies were made on 135 representative samples from the Ogcheon Group of Korea. The mineralogy of all black slate samples is qualitatively similar but quantitatively ·different. The uranium distribution in the studied area show approximately log normal. Uranium in the black slates of the Ogcheon Group was deposited together under same physico-chemical environmental conditions. The chemical and geological factors that controlled the abundance of organic carbon and iron oxides also controlled the uranium content. The relationship of the major components to uranium can be expressed by the following regression equation: $Log(U\times10^4+1)$= 1.70999-0.00367(quartz)0.00512(micas)-0.00930 (other silicates)+0.01911 (iron oxides)-0.03389(other opaques)+0.02062(organic carbon).

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1998.05a
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• pp.124-129
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• 1998

A sensitivity study has been done to determine the composition of DUPIC fuel from the viewpoint of neutronics fuel design. The spent PWR fuel compositions were generated and fissile contents adjusted by blending fresh uranium after mixing two spent PWR fuel assemblies. The $^{239}$ Pu and $^{235}$ U enrichments of DUPIC fuel were adjusted by controlling the amount of fresh uranium feed and the ratio of slightly enriched and depleted uranium in the fled uranium. Based on the material balance calculation, it is recommended that DUPIC fuel composition be such that spent PWR fuel utilization is more than 90%.. A sensitivity study on the temperature reactivity coefficient of DUPIC fuel has shown that it is desirable to increase the $^{239}$ Pu and $^{235}$ U contents to reduce both the fuel and coolant temperature coefficients. On the other hand, refueling simulations of the DUPIC core have shown that the channel power peaking factor, which is a measure of the reactor trip margin, increases with the total fissile content. Considering these neutronic characteristics of the DUPIC fuel, il is recommended to have enrichments of 0.45 and 1.00 wt% for $^{239}$ Pu and $^{235}$ U, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.241.1-241
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• 2002

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.353-361
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• 2017

Uranium concentration in groundwater of the Goesan area was anticipated high because the area contains Ogcheon metamorphic rock zone which partly includes coal bed bearing high uranium content and nearly half of the area is covered by granitic rocks. Groundwater samples collected from 250 wells in five 5 lithology (Ogcheon meta-sandy rock zone (Og1), Ogcheon lower phyllite zone (Og2), Ogcheon pebble bearing phyllite zone (Og3), Jurassic granite (Jgr), Cretaceous granite (Kgr)), of the area were analyzed and equivalent uranium concentrations (e(U)) from 200 rocks near sampled wells were measured using portable gamma spectrometry. Higher median value of e(U) (8.2 mg/kg) was found on Kgr outcrops. The median e(U) value of Og2 was not as high as that of Kgr and similar to those of Jgr, Og1, and Og3 (3.05~3.90 mg/kg). The uranium level in groundwater of the area ranged from 0.01 to $293.0{\mu}g/L$ with a median value of $0.87{\mu}g/L$ which is similar to the national median uranium level of $0.74{\mu}g/L$. The uranium concentration was high in the samples from the Kgr (median $4.74{\mu}g/L$) and low samples from the Og1, Og2, and Og3 (median $0.35{\sim}0.74{\mu}g/L$). The percentage of total samples having uranium level above $30{\mu}g/L$ was 2.8%, on the other hand, that of Kgr is 20.7%, reflecting additional survey on the Kgr area is needed.