• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2015년도 추계학술논문요약집
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• pp.285-286
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• 2015

• Journal of the Korean Physical Society
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• 제73권9호
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• pp.1263-1268
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• 2018

Three different ice core samples from Antarctica were analyzed to identify activity concentrations of radioactive isotopes. Tracking migration of radioactive isotopes to Antarctica can provide a key clue to understand global environmental changes caused by radiation exposures because the Antarctic ice cores can preserve unique characteristics of various environmental conditions. We are particularly interested in the $^{137}Cs$ nucleus, because it is closely related to radiation exposure from nuclear power plant accidents and nuclear bomb tests. With its half life of $30.17{\pm}0.03$ years, $^{137}Cs$ can also be used to assess the age of sedimentation occurring after around the year 1945. We selected three ice core samples, called Tarn8, Styx27, and H25, from different time periods; the Tarn8 sample is known to be from earlier than ~ 1000 AD, the Styx27 sample is approximately from the year 1945, and the H25 sample is from the year 2012. Radioactive isotope measurements of the ice core samples were performed using a 100% HPGe detector at Cheongpyeong Underground Radiation Laboratory (CURL). We measured the activity of $^{137}Cs$ in the H25 sample to be $0.98{\pm}0.82mBq/kg$. Although the activity has a large uncertainty mainly due to the limited sample quantity, the $^{137}Cs$ isotopes in the Antarctic ice core were measured for the first time in Korea.

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2017년도 춘계학술논문요약집
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• pp.401-402
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• 2017

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.1210-1217
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• 2021

The analysis of ⁴¹Ca in concrete generated from the nuclear facilities decommissioning is critical for ensuring the safe management of radioactive waste. An analytical method for the determination of ⁴¹Ca in concrete is described. ⁴¹Ca is a neutron-activated long radionuclide, and hence, for accurate analysis, it is necessary to completely extract Ca from the concrete sample where it exists as the predominant element. The decomposition methods employed were the acid leaching, microwave digestion, and alkali fusion. A comparison of the results indicated that the alkali fusion is the most suitable way for the separation of Ca from the concrete sample. Several processes of hydroxide and carbonate precipitation were employed to separate ⁴¹Ca from interferences. The method relies on the differences in the solubility of the generated products. The behavior of Ca and the interfering elements such as Fe, Ni, Co, Eu, Ba, and Sr is examined at each separation step. The purified ⁴¹Ca was measured by a liquid scintillation counter, and the quench curve and counting efficiency were determined by using a certified reference material of known ⁴¹Ca activity. The recoveries in this study ranged from 56 to 68%, and the minimum detectable activity was 50 mBq g^-1 with 0.5 g of concrete sample.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권7호
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• pp.2418-2426
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• 2022

The grouping analysis is a method guided by the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency for efficient analysis of radioactive waste for disposal. In this study, experiments to verify the adequacy of grouping analysis were conducted with radioactive soil, concrete, and dry active waste in similar environments. First, analysis results of the major radionuclide concentrations in individual waste samples were reviewed to evaluate whether wastes from similar environments correspond to a single waste stream. As a result, the soil and concrete waste were identified as a single waste stream because the distribution range of radionuclide concentrations was "within a factor of 10", the range that meet the criterion of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a single waste stream. On the other hand, the dry active waste was judged to correspond to distinct waste streams. Second, after analyzing the composite samples prepared by grouping the individual samples, the population means of the values of "composite sample analysis results/individual sample analysis results" were estimated at a 95% confidence level. The results showed that all evaluation values for soil and concrete waste were within the set reference values (0.1-10) when five-package and ten-package grouping analyses were conducted, verifying the adequacy of the grouping analysis.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.5-10
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• 2011

검출한계에 대한 기본개념을 기초로 백그라운드 측정시간과 시료측정시간을 고려하였고, 환경시료중에서 육상시료(하천토, 표층토양, 식수, 지하수, 지표수, 솔잎, 쑥) 분석에서 백그라운드 계측시간과 시료 측정시간의 변화에 따른 MDA 값들을 비교하였다. 물시료 분석결과를 살펴보면 대부분 시료에서 불검출로 나타났으며, 육상시료 분석결과 대부분의 시료에서 "과학기술부고시 제 2008-28호"의 검출하한치 미만으로 측정되었으나, 일부 시료에서는 인공방사성핵종인 $^{137}Cs$이 검출되었다. 이는 과거 50.60년대 행해졌던 대기권 핵실험에 의한 낙진 및 소련의 체르노빌 원전사고 등에 의한 영향으로 우리나라뿐만 아니라 전 세계적으로 검출되고 있는 수준이다. 또한 $^{137}Cs$의 동위원소이며, 상대적으로 반감기가 짧은 $^{134}Cs$가 모든 시료에 대해서 검출되지 않는 것으로 보아 원전운영에 의한 영향이 아님을 알 수 있다.

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2004년도 Proceedings of the 4th Korea-China Joint Workshop on Nuclear Waste Management
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• pp.182-190
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• 2004

An unique extraction chromatographic column (TOA: Tri-n-octylamine on Teflon powder) with a two-stage sample loading was prepared to separate Np and Pu from the environmental matrix. Np and Pu were efficiently retained in 4 M $HNO_3$ medium on the column and easily eluted with 0.02 M oxalic acid in 0.16 M HNO$_3$at $95^{\circ}C$. The separated solutions were free from most of the matrix elements and were aspirated into the ICP-MS directly. The decontamination factor for 238U is more than 104. The instrumental detection limit for 237Np was 0.46 pg mL-l ($1.2{\times}10_{-5}$Bq mL-l), and for 239Pu was 0.48 pg mL-l ($1.1{\times}10_{-3}$ Bq mL-l). The feasibility for the determination of both elements was proved by analysing IAEA-135 reference samples, the measured values agreed with the recommended reference value.

• 대한환경공학회지
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.42-46
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• 2016

환경에 존재하는 인공방사성핵종 중 방사성요오드($^{131}I$)는 주로 갑상선질환의 치료에 사용되며 환자의 배출과정을 통해 체외로 방출된다. 붕괴가 채 끝나지 않은 $^{131}I$는 환경으로 방출되어 공공수역에서 검출될 수 있다. 본 연구는 공공수역에서 검출된 $^{131}I$ 방사능 결과의 정확도 및 신뢰도에 영향을 미치는 불확도 중 계측 과정에서 발생하는 불확도에 대하여 금강수계의 실제 사례를 조사하였다. 시료는 금강권역 삽교천 수계의 하천수 및 그 상류의 하수처리장 방류수를 대상으로 하였으며, 시료량에 따른 불확도를 확인하기 위하여 각 지점의 시료를 1, 10, 20 L로 채수하였다. 채취한 시료는 시료량에 따라 전 처리를 거친 후 1 L 마리넬리 비커에 충전하여 HPGe (High Purity Germanium) 감마선 검출기를 이용하여 10,000초 단위로 계측 분석하여 계측시간 및 방사능에 따른 측정불확도를 비교하였다. 각 지점의 방사능 농도는 0.03~1.8 Bq/L로, 채취시점에 따라 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다. $^{131}I$의 방사능 농도가 0.3 Bq/L 수준인 경우 시료량이 1 L이면 약 80,000초 계측 시까지 핵종의 존재여부를 판단하지 못하는 경우가 발생하였으나, 같은 조건에서 시료량을 증가시켜 계측한 경우 10,000초 이상의 계측시간부터 불확도 10% 범위에 포함되는 것으로 나타났다. $^{131}I$의 짧은 반감기를 고려하여 즉시 계측이 가능한 1 L 생시료 계측 방법을 사용할 수 있으나, 불확도 수준과 전처리 및 계측에 소요되는 시간을 비교하였을 때, 10 L 시료의 계측을 통해 높은 신뢰도의 측정 결과를 얻을 수 있는 합리적인 방법이라고 판단되었다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.118-126
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• 2019

Background: Government conducts environmental radioactivity surveillance for verification purpose around nuclear facilities based on the Nuclear Safety Law and issues a surveillance report every year. This study aims to evaluate the short and the long-term fluctuation of radionuclides detected above MDC and their origins using concentration ratios between these radionuclides. Materials and Methods: Sample media for verification surveillance are air, rainwater, groundwater, soil, and milk for terrestrial samples, and seawater, marine sediment, fish, and seaweed for marine samples. Gamma-emitting radionuclides including $^{137}Cs$, $^{90}Sr$, Pu, $^3H$, and $^{14}C$ are evaluated in these samples. Results and Discussion: According to the result of the environmental radioactivity verification surveillance in the vicinity of nuclear power facilities in 2017, the anthropogenic radionuclides were not detected in most of the environmental samples except for the detection of a trace level of $^{137}Cs$, $^{90}Sr$, Pu, and $^{131}I$ in some samples. Radioactivity concentration ratios between the anthropogenic radionuclides ($^{137}Cs/^{90}Sr$, $^{137}Cs/^{239+240}Pu$, $^{90}Sr/^{239+240}Pu$) were similar to those reported in the environmental samples, which were affected by the global fallout of the past nuclear weapon test, and Pu atomic ratios ($^{240}Pu/^{239}Pu$) in the terrestrial sample and marine sample showed significant differences due to the different input pathway and the Pu source. Radioactive iodine ($^{131}I$) was detected at the range of < $5.6-190mBq{\cdot}kg-fresh^{-1}$ in the gulfweed and sea trumpet collected from the area of Kori and Wolsong intake and discharge. A high level of $^3H$ was observed in the air (Sangbong: $0.688{\pm}0.841Bq{\cdot}m^{-3}$) and the precipitation (Meteorology Post: $199{\pm}126Bq{\cdot}L^{-1}$) samples of the Wolsong nuclear power plant (NPP). $^3H$ concentration in the precipitation and pine needle samples showed typical variation pattern with the distance and the wind direction from the stack due to the gaseous release of $^3H$ in Wolsong NPP. Conclusion: Except for the detection of a trace level of $^{137}Cs$, $^{90}Sr$, Pu, and $^{131}I$ in some samples, anthropogenic radionuclides were below MDC in most of the environmental samples. Overall, no unusual radionuclides and abnormal concentration were detected in the 2017's surveillance result for verification. This research will be available in the assessment of environment around nuclear facilities in the event of radioactive material release.

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2007년도 학술논문요약집
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• pp.327-328
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• 2007

The deposition conditions for plating polonium have been optimized with deposition parameters such as pH, volume and temperature of the deposition and deposition time. In the tap water, the chemical yields of polonium forthe deposition solution adjusted to pH 0 were higher than those for the deposition solution adjusted to pH 2. This modified auto-deposition method made it possible to obtain reliable data of activity concentration of Po-210.