• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.301-310
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• 1998

Recently, bathes have been suspected to an Important source of indoor exposure to volatile organic compounds(VOCs). Two experiments were conducted to evaluate chloroform exposure and corresponding body burden by exposure routes while bathing. Another experiment was conducted to ekamine the chloro- form dose during dermal exposure and the chloroform decay In breath after dermal exposure. The chioroform dose was determined based on exhaled breath analysis. The ekamine breath concentration measured after normal baths (2.8 Vg/$m^3$) was approxidmately 13 tomes higher that measured prior to normal bathes (0.2 ug/$m^3$). Based on the means of the normalized post exposure chloroform breath concentration. the dermal exposure was estimated to contribute to 74% of total chloroform body burden while bathing. The Internal dose from bathing (Inhalation plus dermal) was comparable to the dose ostimated Srom dally water Ingestion. The rusk associated 10 a weekly, 30-min bath was estimated to be 1 x 10.5, while the rusk firom dally Ingestion of tap water was to be $0.5{\times}0^{-5} for 0.151 and 6.5{\times}10^{-5}$ for 2. 0 1. Chloroform breath concentration Increased gradually during the 60 minute dermal exposure. The breath decay after the dermal exposure showed two-phase mechanism, with early raped decay and the second slow decay. The mathematical model was developed to describe the relationship between water and air chloroform concentrations, with $R^2$ : 0.4 and p<0.02.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.1-18
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• 2024

Exponential growth has been observed in nuclear medicine procedures worldwide in the past decades. The considerable increase is attributed to the advance of positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography, as well as the introduction of new radiopharmaceuticals. Although nuclear medicine procedures provide undisputable diagnostic and therapeutic benefits to patients, the substantial increase in radiation exposure to nuclear medicine patients raises concerns about potential adverse health effects and calls for the urgent need to monitor exposure levels. In the current article, model-based internal dosimetry methods were reviewed, focusing on Medical Internal Radiation Dose (MIRD) formalism, biokinetic data, human anatomy models (stylized, voxel, and hybrid computational human phantoms), and energy spectrum data of radionuclides. Key results from many articles on nuclear medicine dosimetry and comparisons of dosimetry quantities based on different types of human anatomy models were summarized. Key characteristics of seven model-based dose calculation tools were tabulated and discussed, including dose quantities, computational human phantoms used for dose calculations, decay data for radionuclides, biokinetic data, and user interface. Lastly, future research needs in nuclear medicine dosimetry were discussed. Model-based internal dosimetry methods were reviewed focusing on MIRD formalism, biokinetic data, human anatomy models, and energy spectrum data of radionuclides. Future research should focus on updating biokinetic data, revising energy transfer quantities for alimentary and gastrointestinal tracts, accounting for body size in nuclear medicine dosimetry, and recalculating dose coefficients based on the latest biokinetic and energy transfer data.

• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.141-145
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• 2024

In Publication No. 66 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, an activity median aerodynamic diameter (AMAD) of 5 ㎛ is considered in internal exposure dose assessment owing to inhalation of radionuclides in a workplace. However, analysis of aerosols generated during dismantling experiments, such as in the oxy-cutting of a reactor vessel conducted in Korea, revealed that the radioactive aerosols have AMAD ranging from 0.024 to 0.064 ㎛. Such extremely fine aerosols can induce internal exposure if inhaled. In particular, alpha radionuclides in aerosols can lead to significantly higher levels of radiation exposure than beta and gamma radionuclides, thus highlighting the need to establish appropriate internal exposure radiation protection programs and monitoring systems that specifically address alpha radionuclides when decommissioning nuclear power plants in Korea.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.259-279
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• 2009

Radioiodine ablation therapy has been considered to be a standard treatment for patient with differentiated thyroid cancer after total thyroidectomy. Patients may need to be hospitalized to reduce radiation exposure of other people and relatives from radioactive patients receiving radioiodine therapy. Medical staffs, nursing staffs and technologists sometimes hesitate to contact patients in radioiodine therapy ward. The purpose of this paper is to introduce radiation dosimetry, estimate radiation dose from patients and emphasize the safety of radiation exposure from patients treated with high dose radioiodine in therapy ward. The major component of radiation dose from patient is external exposure. However external radiation dose from these patients treated with typical therapeutic dose of 4 to 8 GBq have a very low risk of cancer induction compared with other various risks occurring in daily life. The typical annual radiation dose without shielding received by patient is estimated to be 5 to 10 mSv, which is comparable with 100 to 200 times effective dose received by chest PA examination. Therefore, when we should keep in mind the general principle of radiation protection, the risks of radiation exposure from patients are low and the medical personnel are considered to be safe from radiation exposure.

• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.35-42
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• 2024

Demand for RW transportation is expected to increase due to the continuous generation of RW from nuclear power plants and facilities, decommissioning of plants, and saturation of spent fuel temporary storage facilities. The locational aspect of plants and radiation protection optimization for the public have led to an increasing demand for maritime transportation, necessitating to apprehend the overseas and domestic current status. Given the potential long-term radiological impact on the public in the event of a sinking accident, a pre-transportation exposure assessment is necessary. The objective of this study is to investigate the overseas and domestic RW maritime transportation current status and overseas dose assessment cases for the public in sinking accident. Selected countries, including Japan, UK, Sweden, and Korea, were examined for transport cases, Japan and the U.S were chosen for dose assessment case in sinking accidents. As a result of the maritime transportation case analysis, it was performed between nuclear power plants and reprocessing facilities, from plants to disposal or intermediate storage facilities. HLW and MOX fuel were transported using INF 3 shipments, and all transports were performed low speed of 13 kn or less. As a result of the dose assessment for the public in sinking accident, japan conducted an assessment for the sinking of spent fuel and vitrified HLW, and the U.S conducted for the sinking of spent fuel. Both countries considered external exposure through swimming and working at seashore, and internal exposure through seafood ingestion as exposure pathway. Additionally, Japan considered external exposure through working on board and fishing, and the U.S considered internal exposure through spray inhalation and desalinized water and salt ingestion. Internal exposure through seafood ingestion had the largest dose contribution. The average public exposure dose was 20 years after the sinking, 0.04 mSv yr^-1 for spent fuel and 5 years after the sinking, 0.03 mSv yr^-1 for vitrified HLW in Japan. In the U.S, it was 1.81 mSv yr^-1 5 years after the sinking of spent fuel. The results of this study will be used as fundamental data for maritime transportation of domestic RW in the future.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.473-478
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• 2018

원전 해체 공정 중 절단 및 용융작업에서 발생되는 방사성 에어로졸은 작업종사자의 호흡을 통해 내부 피폭을 유발하게 된다. 이에 따라 해체 중 방사성 에어로졸로 인한 작업종사자의 내부피폭 평가가 필요한 실정이다. 정확한 내부피폭평가를 위해서는 작업종사자의 작업환경 실측값이 필요하지만 실측에 어려움이 있을 시에는 국제방사선방호위원회(ICRP)에서 제시하는 섭취량 분율 및 입자 크기 등의 권고 값을 통해 내부피폭선량을 추정할 수 있다. 본 논문에서는 입자 크기의 선정은 ICRP에서 권고하는 작업종사자의 고려 입자 크기인 $5{\mu}m$을 적용하였다. 발생량의 경우, 불가리아의 Kozloduy 부지 내의 용융시설에서 발생 된 에어로졸의 포집량 데이터를 이용하여 섭취량을 산정하였다. 또한 이를 이용해 작업종사자의 체내 및 배설물에서의 방사능 수치를 계산하고 BiDAS 전산코드를 통해 내부피폭 평가를 수행하였다. Type M이 0.0341 mSv, Type S가 0.0909 mSv로 두 흡수 형태 각각 국내 연간 선량 한도의 0.17%, 0.45% 수준을 나타내었다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.53-68
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• 2020

Background: International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) reported public exposure doses due to radionuclides released in the Fukushima nuclear accident a few years after the event. However, the reported doses were generally overestimated due to conservative assumptions such as a longer stay in deliberate areas designated for evacuation than the actual stay. After these reports had been published, more realistic dose values were reported by Japanese scientists. Materials and Methods: The present paper reviews those reports, including the most recently published articles; and summarizes estimated effective doses (external and internal) and issues related to their estimation. Results and Discussion: External dose estimation can be categorized as taking two approaches-estimation from ambient dose rate and peoples' behavior patterns-and measurements using personal dosimeters. The former approach was useful for estimating external doses in an early stage after the accident. The first 4-month doses were less than 2 mSv for most (94%) study subjects. Later on, individual doses came to be monitored by personal dosimeter measurements. On the basis of these measurements, the estimated median annual external dose was reported to be < 1 mSv in 2011 for 22 municipalities of Fukushima Prefecture. Internal dose estimation also can be categorized as taking two approaches: estimation from whole-body counting and estimation from monitoring of environmental samples such as radioactivity concentrations in food and drinking water. According to results by the former approach, committed effective dose due to ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs could be less than 0.1 mSv for most residents including those from evacuated areas. Conclusion: Realistic doses estimated by Japanese scientists indicated that the doses reported by WHO and UNSCEAR were generally overestimated. Average values for the first-year effective doses for residents in two affected areas (Namie Town and Iitate Village) were not likely to reach 10 mSv, the lower end of the doses estimated by WHO.

• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.161-172
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• 2023

Coal-fired power plants handle large quantities of coal, one of the most prominent NORM, and the coal ash produced after the coal is burned can be tens of times more radioactive than the coal. Workers in these industries may be exposed to internal exposure by inhalation of particles while handling NORM. This study evaluated the size, concentration, particle shape and density, and radioactivity concentrations of airborne suspended particles in the main processes of a coal-fired power plant. Finally, the internal radiation dose to workers from particle inhalation was evaluated. For this purpose, airborne particles were collected by size using a multi-stage particle collector to determine the size, shape, and concentration of particles. Samples of coal and coal ash were collected to measure the density and radioactivity of particles. The dose conversion factor and annual radionuclide inhalation amount were derived based on the characteristics of the particles. Finally, the internal radiation dose due to particle inhalation was evaluated. Overall, the internal radiation dose to workers in the main processes of coalfired power plants A and B ranged from 1.47×10^-5~1.12×10^-3 mSv y^-1. Due to the effect of dust generated during loading operations, the internal radiation dose of fly ash loading processes in both coal-fired power plants A and B was higher than that of other processes. In the case of workers in the coal storage yard at power plants A and B, the characteristic values such as particle size, airborne concentration, and working time were the same, but due to the difference in radioactivity concentration and density depending on the origin of the coal, the internal radiation dose by origin was different, and the highest was found when inhaling coal imported from Australia among the five origins. In addition, the main nuclide contributing the most to the internal radiation dose from the main processes in the coal-fired power plants was thorium due to differences in dose conversion factors. However, considering the external radiation dose of workers in coal-fired power plants presented in overseas research cases, the annual effective dose of workers in the main processes of power plants A and B does not exceed 1mSv y^-1, which is the dose limit for the general public notified by the Nuclear Safety Act. The results of this study can be utilized to identify the internal exposure levels of workers in domestic coal-fired power plants and will contribute to the establishment of a data base for a differential safety management system for NORM-handling industries in the future.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권1호
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• pp.351-356
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• 2021

Korean nuclear power plants (NPPs) have various radiation protection programs to attain radiation exposure as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). In terms of ALARA, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of administrative dose control for occupationally-exposed workers in Korean NPPs. In addition to dose limits, administrative dose constraints are implemented to resolve an inequity of radiation exposure in which some individuals in NPPs receive relatively higher doses than others. Occupational dose constraints in Korean NPPs are presented in this paper with the background of how those values were determined. For pressurized water reactors, 80% and 90% of the annual average limit for an effective dose, 20 mSv/y, are set as the primary and secondary dose constraints, respectively. Pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) have also established the primary and secondary dose constraints corresponding to 70% and 80% of the effective dose limit, and additional constraints for tritium concentration are provided to control internal exposure in PHWRs. Follow-up measures for exceeding these administrative dose constraints are also introduced compared to exceeding the dose limits. Finally, analysis results of dose distributions show how the implementation of administrative dose constraints impacted the occupational dose distributions in Korean NPPs during the years 2009-2018.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제45권4호
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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.