• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2008

Technisium $(^{99m}Tc)$ is one of the most widely used radioactive isotopes for diagnosis in nuclear medicine. In general, technisium is produced inside the so called $^{99m}Tc$ generator which is usually made out of lead to shield relatively high energy radiation from $^{99}Mo$ and its daughter nuclide $^{99m}Tc$. In this paper, a GEANT4 simulation is carried out to test the safety of the $^{99m}Tc$ generator, taking the Daiichi product with radioactivity of 500 mCi as an example. According to the domestic regulation on radiation safety, the dose at 10 cm and 100 cm away from the surface of shielding container should not exceed 2.0 mSv/h and 0.02 mSv/h, respectively. The simulated dose turned out to be less than the limit, satisfying the domestic regulation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.819-824
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• 2019

In this study, we proposed a method for identifying isotopes generated from high-energy proton $^{nat}Pb$(p,xn) nuclear reactions through the difference of gamma rays generated through nuclear reactions using different proton energies. The experiment was performed by using a high energy proton generated from a 100 MeV proton linear accelerator of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. Gamma rays generated by various nuclides generated through proton nuclear reactions were measured using a gamma-ray spectroscopy system composed of HPGe detectors. Gamma-ray standard sources were used for accurate energy calibration and efficiency measurements of HPGe gamma-ray detectors. For the proposed method, 100 and 60 MeV proton energy beams were used for the same natural lead samples. This method was found to be very effective in identifying nuclides produced by comparing gamma rays generated from the same sample with each other. The results of this study are expected to be very effective in obtaining other proton nuclear reaction results in the future.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2023.05a
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• pp.247-247
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• 2023

Coastal lagoons play a crucial role in water exchange, water quality, and biodiversity. It is essential to monitor and understand the dynamics of hydrogeochemistry in lagoon water and its groundwater to preserve and sustainably manage the groundwater-dependent ecosystems like coastal lagoons. This study investigated the spatial and temporal hydrogeochemical characteristics of coastal lagoon (Songjiho) and groundwater on the east coast of Korea. The concentrations of major ions, water isotopes, and nutrients (nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon) in lagoon water and groundwater were periodically monitored for one year. The study revealed that major ions and total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration were higher at deeper depths of aquifers and closer to the coastal area. The hydrogeochemical characteristics of coastal lagoon and groundwater chemistry were classified into two types, Ca-Mg-HCO₃ and Na-Cl, based on their spatial location from inland to coastal area. Moreover, the hydrogeochemical characteristics of coastal lagoons and groundwater varied significantly depending on the season. During the wet season, the increased precipitation and evaporation lead to changes in water chemistry. As a result, the total organic carbon (TOC) of coastal lagoons increases during this season, likely due to increased runoff by rainfall whereas the variation of chemical compositions in the lagoon and groundwater were not significant because there is reduced precipitation, resulting in stable water levels and during the dry season. The study emphasizes the impact of spatial distribution and seasonal changes in precipitation, evaporation, and river discharge on the hydrogeochemical characteristics of the coastal aquifer and lagoon system. Understanding these impacts is crucial for managing and protecting coastal lagoons and groundwater resources.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.365-369
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• 2013

Intravenous injection is administered with radioactive medical isotopes to detect disease on Positron Emission Tomography (PET). In this case, typically, $^{18}FDG$ (Fluorodeoxyglucose) is used as a radioactive medicine. Cassette equipment is needed to synthesize deoxyglucose with $^{18}F$, produced by medical cyclotron. Production of radioactive medicine creates a lot of radiation, thus Hot Cell is used to shield a secondary radiation. We measured the radiation dosage flowing out of the hot cell during synthesis of $^{18}FDG$ or distribution. The purpose of this study is to provide the information of radiation dosage regarding the occupational exposure that unintentionally occurs during the synthesis of $^{18}FDG$. In conclusion, we confirmed the radiation dosage out of the hot cell during the $^{18}FDG$ synthesis. Especially, we observed that the radiation flowed out through the lead window, attached as a view port. Thus, it is considered that the improvement of a lead window is necessary in order to decrease the occupational exposure during the $^{18}FDG$ synthesis.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.182-187
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• 2023

Fifteen samples of dried laver Pyropia tenera were collected from markets and processing plants in Korea for an assessment of their microbial and chemical hazards, in accordance with the Korean food code. The contamination levels of total viable bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and nine other pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Clostridium perfringens, Listeria monocytogenes, Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Bacillus cereus, and Campylobacter jejuni) were evaluated The concentrations of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, total mercury, and total arsenic) and radioactive isotopes (¹³¹I, and ¹³⁴Cs+¹³⁷Cs) in the laver samples were also determined. The total viable count of bacteria was 2.62±0.80 (1.48-4.45) CFU/g. The contamination levels of lead, cadmium, total mercury, and total arsenic were 0.024±0.005 (0.018-0.035), 0.090±0.038 (0.041-0.146), 0.008±0.005 (0.003-0.018) and 1.315±0.372 (0.814-1.930) mg/kg, respectively. All samples tested negative for significant levels of radioactivity, the nine pathogenic bacteria, coliforms, and E. coli (<1.00 CFU/g). We assume that ensuring the microbiological and chemical safety of dried laver can increase the demand for its exportation. The present study may serve as a basis for microbiological and chemical hazard assessment of dried lavers.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.57-61
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• 2014

Purpose Iodine (I-131) is one of the most widely used radioactive isotopes for therapeutic in the field of nuclear medicine. Therapeutic I-131 capsule is made out of lead to shield high energy radiation. Accurate dosimetry is necessarily required to perform safe and effective work for relative workers. The Monte Carlo method is known as a method to predict the absorbed dose distribution most accurately in radiation therapy and many researchers constantly attempt to apply this method to the dose calculation of radiotherapy recently. This paper aims to calculate distance dependent and activity dependent therapeutic I-131 capsule using GEANT4. Materials and Methods Therapeutic capsules was implemented on the basis of the design drawings. The simulated dose was determined by generating of gamma rays of energy to more than 364 keV. The simulated dose from the capsule at the distance of 10 cm and 100 cm was measured and calculated in the model of water phantom. The simulated dose were separately calculated for each position of each detector. Results According to the domestic regulation on radiation safety, the dose at 10 cm and 100 cm away from the surface of therapeutic I-131 capsule should not exceed 2.0 mSv/h and 0.02 mSv/h, respectively. The simulated doses turned out to be less than the limit, satisfying the domestic regulation. Conclusion These simulation results may serve as useful data in the prediction of hands dose absorbed by I-131 capsule handling. GEANT4 is considered that it will be effectively used in order to check the radiation dose.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.179-186
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• 2006

Chemical wastes are generated from nuclear facilities and R&D laboratories, but the uranium concentration in the final dried cake is evaluated into 11.2 Bq/g, which exceeds the exemption level of 10 Bq/g for each U isotopes, so the cake is categorized into a radioactive waste. Acid dissolution was applied to extract uranium from the waste sludge, and uranium adsorption on the dissolved solution was experimented by using IRN-77 and Diphosil bead. A large amount of resin was required to get above 80% of uranium removal, which was found to be due to a large amount of metal ions simultaneously dissolved from the precipitates with uranium. As an alternative method, acid dissolution is applied to the dewatered wet cake of the sludge, and the natural evaporation method is adopted for the dissolved solution. The uranium concentration of the dissolved solution was estimated to be 6.97E-01 Bq/ml, and the specific activity of the final waste sheets is evaluated to be 4.3 Bq/g. These results lead to the suggestion that the application of acid dissolution to the wet cake and the natural evaporation for the dissolved solution is an effective treatment method for chemical wastes containing uranium.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.207-216
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• 1979

Environmental pollution or contaminations caused by various kinds of pollutants have become one of most serious problems of our time. Environ mental pollution is the unfavoralble alteration of our surroundings, through direct or indirect effects of changes in energy patterns, rediation levels, chemical and physical constitution and abundances of organisms. These changes may affect humans directly or through their supplies of water and of agicultural and other biological products, their physical objects or possessions, or their opportunities for recreation and appreciation of nature. Pollutants that meet the criteria of this definition of environmental pollution are numerous: gases (such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) and paniculate matter (such as smoke particles, lead aerosols, and asbestos) in the atmosphere; pesticides and radioactive isotopes in the atmosphee and in waterways; sewage, organic. chemicals, and phosphates in water; solid wastes on land; excessive heating (thermal pollution) of rivers and lakes; and many others. Some of these pollutants are introduced into the environment naturally, others by human actions, and most in both ways. Our major concer is with environmental pollution resulting wholly or largely as a by-product of human activities, because these can be controlled most readily. Environmental pollution cannot be solved by science and technology alone. It should be handled by an interdisciplinary approach with combined methods of science and technology as wen as social science disciplines for the better solution of this critical problem. In this respect, introducing "Environmental Science," a new scientific approach for the solution of environmental problems, which is now widely accepted by most developed countries of the world will be very helpful for systematization of theoretical basis for a new scientific approach to environmental pollution. Environmental science is "the study of all systems of air, land, water, energy, and life that surround Man. It includes all sciences directed to the system-level of understanding of the environment, drawing especially upon such disciplines as meteorology, geophysics, oceanography, and ecology, and utilizing to the fullest knowledge and techniques developed in such fields as physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and engineering as well as many social science disciplines, such as economics, such as economics, law, political science and public administration." The components of this discipline are not new, for they are drawn from existing areas of science within biology chemistry, physics, and geoscience. What is really new about environmental science, however, is it siewpoint - its orientation to global problems, its conception of the earth as a set of interlocking, interacting systems, and its interest in Man as a part of these systems.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.523-532
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• 2002

The rare earth elements (REE) and Nd, Sr and noble gas isotopic compositions eHer'He, 4$^{\circ}$Arp6Ar) for the Quaternary alkali basaltic rocks and mantle xenoliths in the basaltic rocks from the Baegryongdo were investigated to decipher the origin of alkali basaltic magma and xenolith beneath the Sino-Korean craton. Analytical results are summarized as follows; (1) The alkali volcanic rocks with voluminous xenoliths which are represented by the Mg-olivine and clinopyroxene dominant spinel-lherzolite in the Baegryongdo consist mainly of the basalt-mugearite and basaltic andesite. (2) The REE pattern of alkali basaltic rocks characterized by high HREE is similar to that of oceanic island basalt (OlB). Relatively concordant REE patterns of the basaltic rocks suggest that the alkali basaltic magma be formed by the identical source materials. (3) The Nd-Sr isotopic data of the alkali basaltic rocks suggest that the alkali basaltic magma be originated from the depleted mantle source with a little contamination of the continental crustal materials. (4) The $^3$He/ $^4$He ratios in olivines of xenoliths ranging from 5.0${\pm}$1.lRa to 6.7${\pm}$1.3Ra are lower than that of MORB (ca. 8.0Ra). It suggest that the xenolith be derived from the subcontinental lithospheric mantle. However, the high $^3$Her'He value of 16.8${\pm}$3.IRa at 1800$^{\circ}$C fraction (sample no OL-7) might be resulted from the post-eruptive cosmogenic $^3$He. The 4OAr/ 36 Ar ratios in olivines of mantle xenoliths are comparable to that of atmospheric argon, and are much lower than that of the MORB type mantle. These facts can lead to conclusion that the olivine of the xenolith in the Baegryongdo is affected by the post-eruptive atmospheric contamination during the slow degassing process.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.459-469
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• 2017

Nitrogen (N) loading from domestic, agricultural and industrial sources can lead to excessive growth of macrophytes or phytoplankton in aquatic environment. Many studies have used stable isotope ratios to identify anthropogenic nitrogen in aquatic systems as a useful method for studying nitrogen cycle. In this study to evaluate the precision and accuracy of denitrification bacteria method (Pseudomonas chlororaphis ssp. Aureofaciens ($ATCC^{(R)}$ 13985)), three reference (IAEA-NO-3 (Potassium nitrate $KNO_3$), USGS34 (Potassium nitrate $KNO_3$), USGS35 (Sodium nitrate $KNO_3$)) were analyzed 5 times repeatedly. Measured the ${\delta}^{15}N-NO_3$ and ${\delta}^{18}O-NO_3$ values of IAEA-NO-3, USGS 34 and USGS35 were ${\delta}^{15}N:4.7{\pm}0.1$‰ ${\delta}^{18}O:25.6{\pm}0.5$‰, ${\delta}^{15}N:-1.8{\pm}0.1$‰ ${\delta}^{18}O:-27.8{\pm}0.4$‰, and ${\delta}^{15}N:2.7{\pm}0.2$‰ ${\delta}^{18}O:57.5{\pm}0.7$‰, respectively, which are within recommended values of analytical uncertainties. Also, we investigated isotope values of potential nitrogen source (soil, synthetic fertilizer and organic-animal manures) and temporal patterns of ${\delta}^{15}N-NO_3$ and ${\delta}^{18}O-NO_3$ values in river samples during from May to December. ${\delta}^{15}N-NO_3$ and ${\delta}^{18}O-NO_3$ values are enriched in December suggesting that organic-animal manures should be one of the main N sources in those areas. The current study clarifies the reliability of denitrification bacteria method and the usefulness of stable isotopic techniques to trace the anthropogenic nitrogen source in freshwater ecosystem.