• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.459-482
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• 2006

A geochemical approach to the long-term safety of waste disposal is discussed in connection with the significance of actinides, which shall deliver the major radioactivity inventory subsequent to the relatively short-term decay of fission products. Every power reactor generates transuranic (TRU) elements: plutonium and minor actinides (Np, Am, Cm), which consist chiefly of long-lived nuclides emitting alpha radiation. The amount of TRU actinides generated in a fuel life period is found to be relatively small (about 1 wt% or less in spent fuel) but their radioactivity persists many hundred thousands years. Geological confinement of waste containing TRU actinides demands, as a result, fundamental knowledge on the geochemical behavior of actinides in the repository environment for a long period of time. Appraisal of the scientific progress in this subject area is the main objective of the present paper. Following the introductory discussion on natural radioactivities, the nuclear fuel cycle is briefly brought up with reference to actinide generation and waste disposal. As the long-term disposal safety concerns inevitably with actinides, the significance of the aquatic actinide chemistry is summarized in two parts: the fundamental properties relevant to their aquatic behavior and the geochemical reactions in nanoscopic scale. The constrained space of writing allows discussion on some examples only, for which topics of the primary concern are selected, e.g. apparent solubility and colloid generation, colloid-facilitated migration, notable speciation of such processes, etc. Discussion is summed up to end with how to make a geochemical approach available for the long-term disposal safety of nuclear waste or for the performance assessment (PA) as known generally.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2018.05a
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• pp.139-140
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• 2018

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2017.10a
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• pp.151-152
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• 2017

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 1999.04a
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• pp.149-156
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• 1999

In the United States (U.S.), the monitored natural attenuation (MNA) approach has been used as an alternative remedial option for organic and inorganic compounds retained in soil and dissolved in groundwater. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines the MNA as“in-situ naturally-occurring processes include biodegradation, diffusion, dilution, sorption, volatilization, and/or chemical and biochemical stabilization of contaminants and reduce contaminant toxicity, mobility or volume to the levels that are protective of human health and the environment”. The Department of Soil Environment. National Institute Environmental Research (NIER) is in the process for demonstrating the MNA approach as a potential remedial option for the BTEX contaminated site in Uiwang City. The project is charactering the research site in terms of the nature and extend of contamination, biological degradation rate, and geochemical and hydrological properties. The microbial-degradation rate and effectiveness of nutrient and redox supplements will be determined through laboratory batch and column tests. The geochemical process will be monitored for determining the concentration changes of chemical species involved in the electron transfer processes that include methanogenesis, sulfate and iron reduction, denitrification, and aerobic respiration. Through field works, critical soil and hydrogeologic parameters will be acquired to simulate the effects of dispersion, advection, sorption, and biodegradation on the fate and transport of the dissolved-phase BTEX plume using Bioplume III model. The objectives of this multi-years research project are (1) to evaluate the MNA approach using the BTEX contaminated site in Uiwang City, (2) to establish a standard protocol for future application of the approach, (3) to investigate applicability of the passive approach as a secondary treatment remedy after active treatments. In this presentation, the overall picture and philosophy behind the MNA approach will be reviewed. Detailed discussions of the site characterization/monitoring plans and risk-based decision-making processes for the demonstration site will be included.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.35-48
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• 2004

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of geochemical approaches for investigating and assessing heavy metal contamination in abandoned mine sites. Major sources of contaminants at the abandoned mine sites are mine water, waste rocks, tailings, and chemicals used in beneficiation and mineral processing. Soil, sediment, surface and ground water, and ecological system can be contaminated by heavy metals, which are transported due to erosion of mine waste piles, discharge of acid mine drainage and processed water, and dispersion of dust from waste rocks and tailings. The abandoned mine sites should be characterized using various methods including chemical analysis, mineralogical analysis, acid generation prediction tests, leaching/extraction tests, and field tests. Potential and practical environmental impacts from the abandoned mines should be assessed based on the site characterization.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.211-219
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• 1999

Surface complexation models(SCMs) have been performed to predict metal ion adsorption behavior onto the mineral surface. Application of SCMs, however, requires a self-consistent approach to determine model parameter values. In this paper, in order to determine the metal ion adsorption parameters for the triple layer model(TLM) version of the SCM, we used the zeta potential data for Zeolite and Kaolinite, and the metal ion adsorption data for Pb(II) and Cd(II). Fitting parameters determined for the modeling were as follows ; total site concentration, site density, specific surface area, surface acidity constants, etc. Zeta potential as a new approach other than the acidic-alkalimetric titration method was adopted for simulation of adsorption phenomena. Some fitting parameters were determined by the trial and error method. Modeling approach was successful in quantitatively simulating adsorption behavior under various geochemical conditions.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2002.06a
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• pp.81-100
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• 2002

While most of regulatory communities in abroad recognize ' 'natural attenuation " to include degradation, dispersion, dilution, sorption (including precipitation and transformation), and volatilization as governing Processes, regulators prefer "degradation" because this mechanism destroys the contaminant of concern. Unfortunately, true degradation only applies to organic contaminants and short- lived radionuclides, and leaves most metals and long-lived radionuclides. The natural attenuation Processes may reduce the potential risk Posed by site contaminants in three ways: (i)contaminants could be converted to a less toxic form througy destructive processes such as biodegradation or abiotic transformations; (ii) potential exposure levels may be reduced by lowering concentrations (dilution and dispersion); and (iii) contaminant mobility and bioavailability may be reduced by sorption to geomedia. In this review, authors will focus will focul on "sorption" among the natural attenuation processes of hazardous inorganic contaminants including radionuclides. Note though that sorption and transformation processes of inorganic contaminants in the natural setting could be influenced by biotic activities but our discussion would limit only to geochemical reactions involved in the natural attenuation. All of the geochemical reactions have been studied in-depth by numerous researchers for many years to understand "retardation" process of contaminants in the geomedia. The most common approach for estimating retardation is the determination of distrubution coefficiendts ($K_{d}$) of contaminants using parametric or mechanistic models. As typocally used in fate and contaminant transport calculations such as predictive models of the natural attenuation, the $K_{d}$ is defined as the ratio of the contaminant concentration in the surrounding aqueous solution when the system is at equilibrium. Unfortunately, generic or default $K_{d}$ values can result in significant error when used to predict contaminant migration rate and to select a site remediation alternative. Thus, to input the best $K_{d}$ value in the contaminant transport model, it is essential that important geochemical processes affecting the transport should be identified and understood. Precipitation/dissolution and adsorption/desorption are considered the most important geochemical processes affecting the interaction of inorganic and radionuclide contaminants with geomedia at the near and far field, respectively. Most of contaminants to be discussed in this presentation are relatively immobile, i.e., have very high $K_{d}$ values under natural geochemical environments. Unfortunately, the obvious containment in a source area may not be good enough to qualify as monitored natural attenuation site unless owner demonstrate the efficacy if institutional controls that were put in place to protect potential receptors. In this view, natural attenuation as a remedial alternative for some of sites contaminated by hazardous-inorganic components is regulatory and public acceptance issues rather than scientific issue.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.415-424
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• 1998

In order to investigate soil-gas $^{222}Rn$ concentrations, Kwanak Campus (Seoul National University), Boeun (Choong-buk) and Gapyung (Kyonggi) areas were selected and classified depending on their base rock types. Radon risk indices of these study areas decrease in the order of Gapyung>Kwanak Campus>Boeun areas, and in the order of rock type as banded gneiss>granite gneiss>granite>black slate-shale>mica schist>shale-lirnestone>phyllite-schist. Radon emanating trends with water content and grain size of soils were assessed by modified Morse 3 min. method. Radon emanation increases with the increase of water content in soils which is lower than 6~16 wt.%, and decreases in the range of higher than 6-16 wt. %. It shows that Rn emanation increases with the decrease of soil grain size. Radioactivity analysis of radionuclides of 238U series in some soil samples shows that radioactive disequilibrium state between $^{226}Ra$ and $^{238}U$ exists owing to different geochemical behavior of each radionuclide, and, it is necessary to carry out radioactive isotope geochemical approach for soil-gas $^{222}Rn$ study.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.485-498
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• 1998

The water-rock interaction and anthropogenic contamination affecting to geochemical composition of shallow and deep groundwaters were investigated in the agricultural area of Myunggok-ri, Kongju. The shallow groundwater is classified into the chemical types of $Ca-HCO_3$ and $Ca-Cl(SO_4)$ and shows weak acid having an average pH 6.2. Deep groundwater shows the uncontaminated composition of the chemical types of $Na-HCO_3$ and Na $(Ca)-HCO_3$ with pH of 8.4~8.8. The grouping approach of chemical data of waters shows the distinguished trend between water composition influenced anthrophogenic input and water composition mainly determined by natural process such as water-rock interaction. The main anthropogenic inputs affecting chemical composition of shallow groundwater are the contaminants such as $K^+$, $NO_3{^-}$, $Cl^-$ having average values of 4.4 mg/l, 22 mg/l, 13.7 mg/l, respectively. The contaminants were probably derived from fertilizer, sweage, septic tank, and stable, etc. The hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions indicate that five deep groundwaters were recharged from different altitudes, and that shallow and deep groundwaters were originated from meteoric water. Tritium contents of waters suggest that deep groundwater was recharged before or just after 1950s, and that shallow groundwater is much younger than deep groundwater. The results of this study may serve as a basic data for the future study of shallow groundwater as a drinking water in agricultural area, in Korea.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.27-41
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• 2017

In this study, geomorphological and geological research has been carried out to estimate the possibility of ancient port location near Hwaseong Dangseong. Geomorphological characteristics around Eunsupo were analyzed through comparison of past and present topographic maps and field survey. Grain size, age dating, and geochemical analysis on surface sediments and borehole sediments were performed. Through the geomorphological characteristics analysis, it was interpreted that Eunsupo area was submerged in seawater especially at high tide in the past, and that ships could approach to the inside of the area through the tidal channel which were developed in the area. It is also assumed that ships were anchored at a low elevation point in the area. The paleo-environmental change in the area was analyzed based on the classification of sedimentary environment using grain size distribution of surface and borehole sediments and geochemical analysis. It was confirmed that the geomorphological interpretation for the possibility of ancient port location coincided well with the paleo-environmental change interpreted through sediment analysis. This study is a basic study for estimating ancient port location, and it is expected that more accurate paleo-environmental changes will be restored through detailed geomorphological survey and additional borehole analysis in the future research.