• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.123-128
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• 1995

The concentration of Cs-137 and Sr-90 has been analyzed in soils around Taejon region. A correalation was found between the concentration of Cs-137 and the organic matter content. The mean value of Cs-137 was 14.37Bq/kg-dry and that of Sr-90 was 7.95Bq/kg-dry in undisturbed soils around Taejon region. The concentration ratio of Cs-137/Sr-90 was 1.99. The distribution of Cs-137 and Sr-90 was similar to cumulative fallout level and had been more affected by nuclear weapons test than by the chernobyl accident.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.223-230
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• 2015

The objective of this study is to identify the radionuclide distribution in public water by carrying out the analysis of artificial radionuclides($^{134}Cs$, $^{137}Cs$, $^{239+240}Pu$), natural radionuclide($^{210}Pb$) and TOC in the lake Euiam sediment in Chuncheon, South Korea. The $^{134}Cs$ concentration in all lake sediments showed below MDA values, and the $^{137}Cs$ concentration in lake sediment were ranged from MDA to $8.79Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}-dry$. The $^{137}Cs$ concentrations in surface sediment were reported to be 2.4 to $4.2Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}-dry$. The lowest concentration of $^{137}Cs$ was reported at St. 4 and the highest concentration was reported at St. 3, respectively. The $^{239+240}Pu$ concentration in lake sediment were ranged from 0.049 to $0.47Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}-dry$. The lowest concentration was reported at St. 2 and the highest concentration was reported at St. 3. The correlation(r) between the $^{239+240}Pu$ concentration and $^{137}Cs$ concentration in lake sediment presented higher values (0.54 to 0.97) and this suggests the behavior and origin of $^{137}Cs$ is identical to the $^{239+240}Pu$ in the sediment. The $^{134}Cs$ concentration below MDA value and the $^{239+240}Pu/^{137}Cs$ ratio(mean value of 0.041) indicated that the artificial radionuclides in the sediment were originated from global fallout by the atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons conducted by former USSR and U.S.A, but not from the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. The sedimentation rate derived from $^{210}Pb$ age-dating method at St. 2 is calculated to be $0.31{\pm}0.06cm{\cdot}y^{-1}$. This value is similar to the value ($0.41{\pm}0.05cm{\cdot}y^{-1}$) estimated from the $^{137}Cs$ maximum peak produced from early 1960's. The content of TOC in lake Euiam sediments varied from 0.20 to 13.01%. While the highest correlation between TOC and $^{137}Cs$ concentration in the sediment were found at St. 1, the others presented the low correlation.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.55-63
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• 1999

For understanding the radiation environment in the land of Korea and acquiring baseline data to be referred to at the time of a nuclear accident, cultivated soils in the $0{\sim}15cm$ layer were sampled at 33 sites scattered all over the country and $^{137}Cs$ concentrations were measured by $\gamma$-spectrometry. The soil $^{137}Cs$ concentrations were in the range of $0.7{\sim}17.7$ Bq/kg-dry in the paddy field and $1.2{\sim}27.8$ Bq/kg-dry in the upland field, The means were 6.9 Bq/kg-dry and 9.9 Bq/kg-dry, respectively. In the paddy field, the soil $^{137}Cs$ concentration was positively correlated to the organic matter content and negatively correlated to the clay content. In the upland field, it was positively correlated to the cation exchange capacity. It was revealed that soil organic matter play an important role in the change of soil $^{137}Cs$ concentration.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.293-299
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• 2016

$^{137}Cs$ was investigated in river bottom sediments located in South-Han River basin and it was compared with international case studies to estimate the concentration level of $^{137}Cs$ in river sediment of Korea. The obtained values of $^{137}Cs$ which was analyzed by gamma-ray spectrometry were in the range of <$MDA{\sim}3.80{\pm}0.14Bq/kg{\cdot}dry$ and similar to the $^{137}Cs$ activities in soil of Korea. According to international case studies, $^{137}Cs$ activities were between 3.7 to $15,396Bq/kg{\cdot}dry$, when pollutants such as nuclear power plant accidents and radiation leaks were present near the rivers. The $^{137}Cs$ activities showed a variety of distribution depending on the country, when pollution occurs and survey time. Also, $^{137}Cs$ activities of river sediments without pollution sources were mostly less than $10Bq/kg{\cdot}dry$ in other countries. It was comparable with the obtained $^{137}Cs$ activities in this study. The obtained values provide useful information on the background concentration of $^{137}Cs$ in river sediment and will be able to use a basis for determining contamination of $^{137}Cs$ in the river.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.127-146
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• 2002

A method of more realistically, predicting radionuclide concentrations in crop plants varying with time after a nuclear accident was established to estimate 50 years' concentrations of $^{90}Sr$ and $^{137}Cs$ in polished rice seeds and Chinese cabbage for unit dry deposition. After non-growing season accidents, concentrations of both nuclides decreased gradually with time and $^{90}Sr$ concentrations were higher than those of $^{137}Cs$ throughout the whole period. Radionuclide concentrations in the 1 st year after growing season accidents were on the whole higher than those after non-growing season accidents by factors of up to 30 for $^{90}Sr$ and up to 1,000 for $^{137}Cs$. In polished rice seeds, the 50 years-integrated concentration was higher for $^{90}Sr$ than for $^{137}Cs$ after non-growing season accidents, whereas the opposite was true after growing season accidents. In Chinese cabbage. however, it was higher for $^{90}Sr$ than for $^{137}Cs$ after both types of the accident. Generally speaking, the dominant pathway for the integrated concentration after the growing season accident was root uptake for $^{90}Sr$ and direct plant contamination for $^{137}Cs$. The effect of resuspension was negligible. Based on the predicted results. the direct]on of planning countermeasures was suggested for various accident conditions.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.237-245
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• 2005

The distribution of radionuclides in soil and plants were calculated, assuming an accidental release of radionuclides from Yeonggwang Nuclear Power Plant. The results which show the concentration change with time and regions were displayed by GIS. GIS Included the commercial program, ArcView(ESRI), and a basic digital map of 1:5000 scale for 30km by 30km area around Yeonggwang Nuclear Power Plant. The target material was $^{137}Cs$ in soil around Yeonggwang area. Given denosited $^{137}Cs$ concentrations, ECOREA-II code computed the $^{137}Cs$ concentration of the soil and the plant in the area divided by 16 azimuth, 480 unit cells in total in which the concentrations also varied with time. The results were introduced into the attributed data of previously designed polygon cells in ArcView. In order to display the concentration change with time by monotonic color, the RGB value for ArcView color lamp was controlled. This display is useful for the public to understand the concentration change of radionuclide around Yeonggwang area definitely.

• Proceedings of the Korean Quaternary Association Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.7-11
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• 2005

The soil erosion processes have estimated using spatial distribution of 137Cs radionuclide in Granite and Sedimentary Hillslopes in South Korea. The local variability of 137Cs inventory indicates that was related positively to organic matter content, clay content and water content and negatively to hydraulic permeability and slope gradient for bulk samples in different landforms within Granite and Sedimentary rock basins. The vertical variability of 137Cs inventory shows that most of 137Cs concentration and organic matter were accumulated between 0 and 2cms and gradually decrease with soil depth in incremental samples in both basins. The vertical variability of 137Cs inventories shows that 137Csinventories increase as we go to toward downslope in both basins. Finally, the soil loss values indicate that hillslope erosion processes are more intensive in Granite rock basin than those in Sedimentary rock basin.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.11
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• pp.4265-4271
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• 2022

Determination of ¹³⁷Cs, ⁴⁰K and ²¹⁰Po in water, bottom sediments and suspended matter of river systems of the Can Gio Biosphere Reserve, Vietnam was carried out. The average activity concentration of ¹³⁷Cs in waters of Ca Gau and Long Tau was 0.89 ± 0.14 and 1.08 ± 0.15 Bq m^-3 and was comparable to the levels of this radioisotope in waters of the East Sea. The activity concentration of ¹³⁷Cs in bottom sediments was 2.23 ± 0.81 and 3.63 ± 1.24 Bq kg^-1. The activity concentration of ¹³⁷Cs in water and bottom sediments could be characterized as low. So, the water areas of the Ca Gau and Long Tau rivers could be attributed to areas with insignificant pollution by technogenic radionuclides. The ²¹⁰Po activity concentration in bottom sediments of the Ca Gau and Long Tau rivers ranged from 9.2 ± 1.2 to 25.5 ± 2.1 Bq kg^-1, which is typical for river bottom sediments. Such values indicate the absence of anthropogenic enhancement of the entry of this radionuclide into the Can Gio river systems. The ⁴⁰K activity concentration varied within 467 ± 42-651 ± 39 Bq kg^-1 and represented typical values of potassium content in the bottom sediments of coastal water bodies, subject to a significant influence of the lithogenic component of suspended matter.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.315-327
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• 2016

Background: This study evaluated the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive material according to local weather conditions and emission conditions. Materials and Methods: Local weather conditions were defined as 8 patterns that frequently occur around the Kori Nuclear Power Plant and emission conditions were defined as 6 patterns from a combination of emission rates and the total number of particles of the $^{137}Cs$, using the WRF/HYSPLIT modeling system. Results and Discussion: The highest mean concentration of $^{137}Cs$ occurred at 0900 LST under the ME4_1 (main wind direction: SSW, daily average wind speed: $2.8ms^{-1}$), with a wide region of its high concentration due to the continuous wind changes between 0000 and 0900 LST; under the ME3 (NE, $4.1ms^{-1}$), the highest mean concentration of $^{137}Cs$ occurred at 1500 and 2100 LST with a narrow dispersion along a strong northeasterly wind. In the case of ME4_4 (S, $2.7ms^{-1}$), the highest mean concentration of $^{137}Cs$ occurred at 0300 LST because $^{137}Cs$ stayed around the KNPP under low wind speed and low boundary layer height. As for the emission conditions, EM1_3 and EM2_3 that had the maximum total number of particles showed the widest dispersion of $^{137}Cs$, while its highest mean concentration was estimated under the EM1_1 considering the relatively narrow dispersion and high emission rate. Conclusion: This study showed that even though an area may be located within the same radius around the Kori Nuclear Power Plant, the distribution and levels of $^{137}Cs$ concentration vary according to the change in time and space of weather conditions (the altitude of the atmospheric boundary layer, the horizontal and vertical distribution of the local winds, and the precipitation levels), the topography of the regions where $^{137}Cs$ is dispersed, the emission rate of $^{137}Cs$, and the number of emitted particles.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.154-162
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• 2020

Background: Several studies have reported that wild mushrooms contain high amounts of radioactive cesium (137Cs). After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident, a significantly high concentration of 137Cs has been detected in wild mushrooms, and their consumption may be the cause of the chronic internal exposure of local consumers to radioactivity. Therefore, an accurate evaluation of the internal radioactivity resulting from mushroom ingestion is needed. Materials and Methods: The 137Cs elution rate through the cooking and digestion stages was evaluated using in vitro experiments. The edible mushroom Pleurotus djamor was taken as a sample for the experiments. The mushrooms were cultivated onto solid media containing 137Cs. We evaluated the internal dose based on the actual conditions using the elution rate data. For various cooking methods, the results were compared with those of other wild edible mushrooms. Results and Discussion: From the elution experiment through cooking, we proved that 25%-55% of the 137Cs in the mushrooms was released during soaking, boiling, or frying. The results of a simulated digestion experiment after cooking revealed that almost all the 137Cs in the ingested mushrooms eluted in the digestive juice, regardless of the cooking method. The committed effective dose was reduced by 20%-75% when considering the dissolution through the cooking process. Conclusion: We found that cooking lowers 137Cs concentration in mushrooms, therefore reducing the amount of radioactivity intake. Besides, since there were differences between mushroom types, we demonstrated that the internal exposure dose should be evaluated in detail considering the release of 137Cs during the cooking stages.