• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.183-193
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• 2018

Currently, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is planning to build the Ki-Jang Research Reactor (KJRR) in Ki-Jang, Busan. It is important to safely dispose of low-level radioactive waste from the operation of the reactor. The most efficient way to treat radioactive waste is cement solidification. For a radioactive waste disposal facility, cement solidification is performed based on specific waste acceptance criteria such as compressive strength, free-standing water, immersion and leaching tests. Above all, the leaching test is important to final disposal. The leakage of radioactive waste such as $^{137}Cs$ causes not only regional problems but also serious global ones. The cement solidification method is simple, and cheaper than other solidification methods, but has a lower leaching resistance. Thus, this study was focused on the development of cement solidification for an enhancement of cesium leaching resistance. We used Zeolite and Loess to improve the cesium leaching resistance of KJRR cement solidification containing simulated KJRR liquid waste. Based on an SEM-EDS spectrum analysis, we confirmed that Zeolite and Loess successfully isolated KJRR cement solidification. A leaching test was carried out according to the ANS 16.1 test method. The ANS 16.1 test is performed to analyze cesium ion concentration in leachate of KJRR cement for 90 days. Thus, a leaching test was carried out using simulated KJRR liquid waste containing $3000mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ of cesium for 90 days. KJRR cement solidification with Zeolite and Loess led to cesium leaching resistance values that were 27.90% and 21.08% higher than the control values. In addition, in several tests such as free-standing water, compressive strength, immersion, and leaching tests, all KJRR cement solidification met the waste acceptance or satisfied the waste acceptance criteria for final disposal.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.127-137
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• 1997

Equilibrium concentrations of major elements in an underground repository with a capacity of 100,000 drums have been simulated using the geochemical computer code (EQMOD). The simulation has been carried out at the conditions of pH 12 to 13.5, and Eh 520 and -520 mV. Solubilities of magnesium and calcium decrease with the increase of pH. The solubility of iron increases with pH at Eh -520 mV of reducing environment while it almost entirely exists as the precipitate of Fe(OH)$_3$(s) at Eh 520 mV of oxidizing environment. All of cobalt and nickel are predicted to be dissolved in the liquid phase regardless of pH since the solubility limit is greater than the total concentration. In the case of cesium and strontium, all forms of both ions are present in the liquid phase because they have negligible sorption capacity on cement and large solubility under disposal atmosphere. And thus the total concentration determines the equilibrium concentration. Adsorbed amount of iodide and carbonate are dependent on adsorption capacity and adsorption equilibrium constant. Especially, the calcite turns out to be a solubility-limiting phase on the carbonate system. In order to validate the model, the equilibrium concentrations measured for a number of systems which consist of iron, cement, synthetic groundwater and radionuclides are compared with those predicted by the model. The concentrations between the model and the experiment of nonadsorptive elements cesium, strontium, cobalt nickel and iron, are well agreed. It indicates that the assumptions and the thermodynamic data in this work are valid. Using the adsorption equilibrium constant as a free parameter, the experimental data of iodide and carbonate have been fitted to the model. The model is in a good agreement with the experimental data of the iodide system.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2020

To ensure food safety of berries from radioactive contamination, radioactivity monitoring was conducted with a total 258 samples of the berries and processed berry products distributed in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, from 2016 to 2018. The concentration of artificial radionuclides, ¹³¹I, ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs, was analyzed using gamma-ray spectrometry. ¹³¹I and ¹³⁴Cs were not detected above the MDA (Minimum Detectable Activity) value from any of the samples. However, the range of radioactivity concentration of ¹³⁷Cs was 0.69-808.90 Bq/kg in 39 cases of berries. ¹³⁷Cs was detected at 0.70-3.29 Bq/kg from 6 cases of domestic berries, which were manufactured from imported raw materials. Among 33 cases of imported berries, ¹³⁷Cs was detected at 0.69-808.90 Bq/kg. The concentrations of ¹³⁷Cs in 1 case of blueberry powder product (808.90 Bq/kg) and 2 cases of lingonberry powder products (103.93, 188.46 Bq/kg) exceed domestic maximum radioactivity limits, and these were detected in the berries from Poland. These results suggest that monitoring system for imported berries and processed berry products should be continuously intensified to secure food safety.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.461-470
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• 1994

Sorption experiments of $^{60}$ Co, $^{85}$ Sr. and $^{137}$ Cs onto sandstone particles in a batch were carried out to investigate the migration mobility. Sorption kinetics and reversibility as well as sorption mechanisms were examined. Sorption reaction occurred mostly within 10 hours on the outer surface of the sandstone particle but diffusion into the inner surface of the mineral has still occurred after that time. In order to distinguish sorption types of radionuclides, a sequential chemical extraction was introduced. The sorbed radionuclides were then extracted by applying different solutions of synthetic groundwater, CaCl$_2$, KCl and KOX-HA Especially KCl is adopted to extract the ion-exchanged cesium. Sorption types considered are reversible sorption under groundwater condition, ion exchange, association with ferro-manganese oxides or oxyhydroxides, and irreversible fixation. Strontium sorbs onto the sandstone surface mainly by fast and reversible ion exchange reaction. However, cobalt and cesium do not sorb by simple process. The main sorptive binding of cobalt was the association with ferro-manganese oxides and the secondary one was irreversible fixation. Diffusion into the lattice of minerals controlled the sorption rate of cobalt The main sorptin type of cesium was irreversible fixation, while ion exchange reaction was the secondary importance. Hence the oreder of migration mobility for the three radionuclides was Sr$^{2＋}$ ＞ Co$^{2＋}$ ＞ Cs$^{＋}$ in the sandstones.

• Clean Technology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.122-131
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• 2016

Caesium radioisotopes, ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs which come from the atmospheric nuclear tests and discharges from nuclear power plants, are very important to study artificial radioactivity. In this work, in order to lower the minimum detection activity (MDA) we investigated environmental radioactivity according to the Environment Measurement Laboratory procedure by ¹³⁷Cs and ¹³⁴Cs which is similar to chemical and environmental behaviors of ¹³⁷Cs. The environmental soils in high mountain areas near nuclear power plant were collected, and an Ammonium Molybdophosphate (AMP) precipitation method, which showed high selectivity toward Cs⁺ ions, was applied to chemically extract and concentrate Caesium radioisotopes. Radioactivity was estimated by a gamma-ray spectrometry. In gamma energy spectrum, with an increasing of ⁴⁰K radioactivity, it increased the MDA of ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs. Therefore, if the natural radionuclides were removed from the soil samples, the MDA of Caesium may be reduced, and the contents of ¹³⁷Cs of in the environmental soils can effectively be estimated. In the standard soil sample of Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, radioactivity of ⁴⁰K was removed more than 84% on average, and the MDA of ¹³⁴Cs was reduced 2 times. The content of ¹³⁷Cs was recovered over 84%. On the other hand, in environmental soils, AMP precipitation method showed removal ratio of ⁴⁰K up to 180 times, which reduced the MDA about 5 times smaller than those of Direct method. ¹³⁷Cs recovery ratio showed from 54.54% to 70.06%. When considering the MDA and recovery ratio, AMP precipitation method is effective for detection of Caesium radioisotopes in low concentration.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 1977

Les eaux de $g\'{e}n\'{e}rateur$ de vapeur d'un $r\'{e}acteur$ P. W. R peuvent $\^{e}tre$ $contamin\'{e}es$ par des $radio-\'{e}lements$. Ces eaux sont habituellement $condition\'{e}es$ 'phosphate' pour limiter leur $agressivit\'{e}$ et la tendence actuelle est de remplacer les phosphate par un conditionment 'Amoniaques'. La $pr\'{e}sente$ $\'{e}tude$ a pour but de definir la $possibilit\'{e}$ $d'{\'{e}}purer$ des eaux $condition\'{e}es$ $\'{a}$ l'ammoniaque $\'{a}$ l'aide $d'{\'{e}}changeurs$ d'ion organiques. Des Facteurs de $D\'{e}contamination$ (F. D) en Cesium 137 et Strontium 90 et la $dur\'{e}e$ du cycle $d'{\'{e}}puration$ ont $d\^{u}$ $\^{e}tre$ bien meilleurs avec une colonne de 10 ml de $r\'{e}sine$ Carborylique Duolite $CC_4$ mise sous forme acide, suivie d'une colonne de 10 ml de $r\'{e}sine$ cationique Amberlite IR 120 mise sous forme acide et suivie d'une colonne de 10 ml de $r\'{e}sine$ anionique Amberlite IRA 400 mise sous forme hydroxyde.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1985

To determine the dose·survival and repair characteristics of the jejunal crypt cells, experimental study was carried out using total 70 mice. Single or split irradiations of 1,100 to 2,200 rad were delivered to whole bodies of $C_{57}$ BL mice, using a cesium 137 animal irradiator and those mice were sacrificed after 90 hours. The number of regenerating crypts per jejunal circumference was counted by a jejunal crypt cell assay technique and dose·response curve was measured. The results were as follows : 1. The average number of jejunal crypts per circumference in control group was 140. In a single irradiation group, the number of regenerated jejunal crypts was, 125, 56, 2 in each subgroup of 1,100 rad, 1,400 rad and 1,800 rad respectively. In split irraiation group, it was 105,44,2 in each subgroup of 1,400rad 1,800rad and 2,200rad respectively. 2. Mean lethal dose of mouse jejunal crypt cell was 167 and 169 rad respectively in a single and split irradiation. 3. Repair dose of sublethal damage was 280 rad. 4. Sublethal damage was completely repaired within 4 hours between the split dose of irradiation.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.127-130
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• 2015

Since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, Prussian blue (PB) has attracted increasing attention as a material for use in decontaminating the environment. We have focused the fundamental mechanism of specific $Cs^+$ adsorption into PB in order to develop high-performance PB-based $Cs^+$ adsorbents. The ability of PB to adsorb Cs varies considerably according to its origin such as what synthesis method was used, and under what conditions the PB was prepared. It has been commonly accepted that the exclusive abilities of PB to adsorb hydrated $Cs^+$ ions are caused by regular lattice spaces surrounded by cyanido-bridged metals. $Cs^+$ ions are trapped by simple physical adsorption in the regular lattice spaces of PB. $Cs^+$ ions are exclusively trapped by chemical adsorption via the hydrophilic lattice defect sites with proton-exchange from the coordination water. Prussian blue are believed to hold great promise for the clean-up of $^{137}Cs$ contaminated water around nuclear facilities and/or after nuclear accidents.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 1998

The effects of the major cations ($Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $K^+$, $Na^+$), complex-forming anions ($SO_4{^{2-}}$, $HCO_3{^-}$), and solution pH on the adsorption of $^{137}Cs$ and $^{90}Sr$ by kaolinite in groundwater chemistry were investigated. Three-dimensional Kd modelling designed by a statistical method was attempted to compare the relative effect among hydrated radii, charge and concentration of competing cations on the adsorption of Cs and Sr. The modelling results indicate that the hydrated radii of competing cations is the most important factor, and then their charges and concentrations are also important factors in order. The property of zeta potential of kaolinite particles was discussed in terms of the amphoteric reactions of a kaolinite surface affecting the adsorption of Cs and Sr. The ionic strength of competing cations on the adsorption of Cs and Sr exerts a greater effect than the solution pH. The sorption behaviour of Sr on kaolinite is also highly dependent on the concentration of bicarbonate. The speciation of Sr and the saturation state of a secondary phase were thermodynamically calculated by a computer program, WATEQ4F. This indicates that the change in solution pH with the concentration of bicarbonate and the precipitation of a strontianite ($SrCO_3$) are major factors controlling Sr adsorption behaviour in the presence of bicarbonate ion.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.337-345
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• 2011

In order to provide an effective preparedness for a nuclear or radiological emergency happening in the domestic or neighborhood countries and to solve the vague fear of the people for the ingestion of radioactive livestock products, the establishment of national guideline level for radionuclides in feed is urgently necessary. This is because it is important to secure the safety and to manage the crisis in the agricultural, fishery and food sector by performing the effective safety control during and after nuclear incident. This study was performed to investigate the report cases of international organizations and foreign countries to set up a domestic control standard for managing radioactive substances that may be contaminated in animal feeds due to the nuclear power plant incident. In addition, an attempt was made to provide a useful reference that can help prepare a domestic control standard, using a coefficient that can consider the transfer into livestock through the intake of radioactive contaminated animal feeds. The standard radioisotopes investigated were confined to radioactive cesium ($^{137+134}Cs$) and iodine ($^{131}I$). Guideline level for the radionuclides was calculated by using the transfer coefficient factor and the maximum daily intake of animal feed provided by IAEA. For example, the maximum daily intake of animal feed was set as $25kg\;d^{-1}$ for dairy cows, $10kg\;d^{-1}$ for beef cattle, $3.0kg\;d^{-1}$ for pigs and $0.15kg\;d^{-1}$ for chickens. The result values for radioactive cesium were calculated as $8,696Bq\;kg^{-1}$, $4,545Bq\;kg^{-1}$, $1,667Bq\;kg^{-1}$ and $2,469Bq\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. The results for radioactive iodine showed the ranges between $741Bq\;kg^{-1}$ and $76,628Bq\;kg^{-1}$. These data can be utilized as a scientific reference for the preparation of a crisis management manual for the emergency control due to nuclear power plant accident in Korea and neighboring country. These results will contribute to establish the safe feed management system at national level as manual for responding the radioactive exposure of agricultural products and animal feeds, which are currently not established.