Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT) (방사성폐기물학회지)

Korean Radioactive Waste Society (한국방사성폐기물학회)
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Review of the Gross Alpha for Characterization of Radioactive Waste

방사성폐기물 특성평가를 위한 전알파 분석법 고찰

  • Received : 2020.04.14
  • Accepted : 2020.07.20
  • Published : 2020.08.30
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Abstract

In this study, we discussed the limitations of gross alpha measurements for the characterization of radioactive wastes produced in nuclear facilities through experimental tests and Monte Carlo N-particle transport simulations. The determination of gross alpha is essential for the disposal of radioactive waste produced in nuclear facilities in Korea. The measurements of gross alpha are easy to perform and yield rapid analytical results, but it cannot be used for quantitative analysis. The error of counting efficiency for gross alpha with various masses of the deposit on planchets using KCl and 241Am was determined. The relative deviation of the counting efficiency in samples having the same mass was 20%. Uranium was extracted from the soil through acid leaching and extraction chromatography, and the concentration of U determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was compared with the results for gross alpha. The gross alpha was underestimated by 50% compared to the U concentration by ICP-MS. The counting efficiency depended on the energy from the alpha emitters, which differed by up to three times in determination of the counting efficiency depending on the kinds of alpha radionuclides of interest. Therefore, the gross alpha is not compatible with the sum of radioactivity for each alpha emitter and is suitable as a screening method.

우리는 실험과 MCNP 시뮬레이션을 통해 전알파 분석법의 한계를 설명하였다. 국내에서 중·저준위 방사성폐기물 인도 규정 관련, 전알파 분석법은 방사성폐기물을 처분하기 위해 반드시 규명해야 할 방사성 특성평가 인자이다. 전알파 분석법은 시료 준비 절차가 간단하고 신속한 분석 결과를 제공하지만, 정량분석 인자로 사용하는 것은 적절하지 않다. KCl과 241Am을 이용하여 시편 건조고형물 무게에 따른 전알파 계측효율을 평가하였다. 동일한 무게의 시편일지라도 계측효율의 차이가 20% 나는 것을 확인하였고, 이는 시편의 물리적 형태가 서로 다르기 때문인 것으로 보인다. 토양 중 우라늄을 화학분리 한 후, ICP-MS로 우라늄을 직접 측정한 결과와 전알파 농도를 비교하였다. 전알파는 실제 우라늄 농도에 비해 50% 과소평가되었다. 알파핵종별 전알파 계측효율이 최대 3배 차이 나기 때문에, 전알파 분석결과는 개별 알파핵종의 합과 비교하기 보다는 스크리닝 개념으로 사용하는 것이 적절하다.

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