• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.255-269
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• 2023

Compared to operational wastes, nuclear power plant (NPP) decommissioning wastes are generated in larger quantities within a short time and include diverse types with a wider range of radiation characteristics. Currently used 200 L drums and IP-2 type transport containers are inefficient and restrictive in packaging and transporting decommissioning wastes. Therefore, new packaging and transport containers with greater size, loading weight, and shielding performance have been developed. When transporting radioactive materials, radiological safety should be assessed by reflecting parameters such as the type and quantity of the package, transport route, and transport environment. Thus far, safety evaluations of radioactive waste transport have mainly targeted operational wastes, that have less radioactivity and a smaller amount per transport than decommissioning wastes. Therefore, in this study, the possible radiation effects during the transport from NPP to disposal facilities were evaluated to reflect the characteristics of the newly developed containers and decommissioning wastes. According to the evaluation results, the exposure dose to transport workers, handling workers, and the public was lower than the domestic regulatory limit. In addition, all exposure dose results were confirmed, through sensitivity analysis, to satisfy the evaluation criteria even under circumstances when radioactive materials were released 100% from the container.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Exposure of the normal lung tissue around the cancerous tumor during radiotherapy causes serious side effects such as pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis. Radioprotectors used during cancer radiotherapy could protect the patient from side effects induced by radiation injury of the normal tissue. Delphinidin has strong antioxidant properties, and it works as the driving force of a radioprotective effect by scavenging radiation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, no studies have been conducted on the radioprotective effect of delphinidin against high linear energy transfer radiation. Therefore, this study was undertaken to evaluate the radioprotective effects of delphinidin on human lung cells against a proton beam. MATERIALS/METHODS: Normal human lung cells (HEL 299 cells) were used for in vitro experiments. The 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay assessed the cytotoxicity of delphinidin and cell viability. The expression of radiation induced cellular ROS was measured by the 2'-7'-dicholordihydrofluorescein diacetate assay. Superoxide dismutase activity assay and catalase activity assay were used for evaluating the activity of corresponding enzymes. In addition, radioprotective effects on DNA damage-induced cellular apoptosis were evaluated by Western blot assay. RESULTS: Experimental analysis, including cell survival assay, MTT assay, and Western blot assay, revealed the radioprotective effects of delphinidin. These include restoring the activities of antioxidant enzymes of damaged cells, increase in the levels of pro-survival protein, and decrease of pro-apoptosis proteins. The results from different experiments were compatible with each to provide a substantial conclusion. CONCLUSION: Low concentration ($2.5{\mu}M/mL$) of delphinidin administration prior to radiation exposure was radioprotective against a low dose of proton beam exposure. Hence, delphinidin is a promising shielding agent against radiation, protecting the normal tissues around a cancerous tumor, which are unintentionally exposed to low doses of radiation during proton therapy.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.378-383
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• 2016

Background: Radiation dose rates in PRIDE facility is evaluated quantitatively for assessing radiation safety of workers because of large amounts of depleted uranium being handled in PRIDE facility. Even if direct radiation from depleted uranium is very low and will not expose a worker to significant amounts of external radiation. Materials and Methods: ORIGEN-ARP code was used for calculating the neutron and gamma source term being generated from depleted uranium (DU), and the MCNP5 code was used for calculating the neutron and gamma fluxes and dose rates. Results and Discussion: The neutron and gamma fluxes and dose rates due to DU on spherical surface of 30 cm radius were calculated with the variation of DU mass and density. In this calculation, an imaginary case in which DU density is zero was added to check the self-shielding effect of DU. In this case, the DU sphere was modeled as a point. In case of DU mixed with molten salt of 50-250 g, the neutron and gamma fluxes were calculated respectively. It was found that the molten salt contents in DU had little effect on the neutron and the gamma fluxes. The neutron and the gamma fluxes, under the respective conditions of 1 and 5 kg mass of DU, and 5 and $19.1g{\cdot}cm^{-3}$ density of DU, were calculated with the molten salt (LiCl+KCl) of 50 g fixed, and compared with the source term. As the results, similar tendency was found in neutron and gamma fluxes with the variation of DU mass and density when compared with source spectra, except their magnitudes. Conclusion: In the case of the DU mass over 5 kg, the dose rate was shown to be higher than the environmental dose rate. From these results, it is concluded that if a worker would do an experiment with DU having over 5 kg of mass, the worker should be careful in order not to be exposed to the radiation.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.40
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• pp.34.1-34.8
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• 2018

Background: Radiation therapy is widely employed in the treatment of head and neck cancer. Adverse effects of therapeutic irradiation include delayed bone healing after dental extraction or impaired bone regeneration at the irradiated bony defect. Development of a reliable experimental model may be beneficial to study tissue regeneration in the irradiated field. The current study aimed to develop a relevant animal model of post-radiation cranial bone defect. Methods: A lead shielding block was designed for selective external irradiation of the mouse calvaria. Critical-size calvarial defect was created 2 weeks after the irradiation. The defect was filled with a collagen scaffold, with or without incorporation of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) (1 ㎍/ml). The non-irradiated mice treated with or without BMP-2-included scaffold served as control. Four weeks after the surgery, the specimens were harvested and the degree of bone formation was evaluated by histological and radiographical examinations. Results: BMP-2-treated scaffold yielded significant bone regeneration in the mice calvarial defects. However, a single fraction of external irradiation was observed to eliminate the bone regeneration capacity of the BMP-2-incorporated scaffold without influencing the survival of the animals. Conclusion: The current study established an efficient model for post-radiation cranial bone regeneration and can be applied for evaluating the robust bone formation system using various chemokines or agents in unfavorable, demanding radiation-related bone defect models.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2023

Background: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a specialized medical equipment and plays a significant role in the diagnosis of oral and maxillofacial diseases and abnormalities; however, it is attributed to risk of exposure of ionizing radiation. The aim of the study was to estimate and determine the amount of scattered radiation dose to the thyroid gland in dental CBCT during maxilla and mandible scan. Materials and Methods: The average scattered radiation dose for i-CAT 17-19 Platinum CBCT (Imaging Sciences International) was measured using a Multi-O-Meter (Unfors Instruments), placed at the patient's neck on the skin surface of the thyroid cartilage, with an exposure parameter of 120 kVp and 37.07 mAs. The surface entrance dose was noted using the Multi-O-Meter, which was placed at the time of the scan at the level of the thyroid gland on the anterior surface of the neck. Results and Discussion: The surface entrance dose to the thyroid from both jaws scans was 191.491±78.486 µGy for 0.25 mm voxel and 26.9 seconds, and 153.670±74.041 µGy from the mandible scan, whereas from the maxilla scan the surface entrance dose was 5.259±10.691 µGy. Conclusion: The surface entrance doses to the thyroid gland from imaging of both the jaws, and also from imaging of the maxilla and mandible alone were within the threshold limit. The surface entrance dose and effective dose in CBCT were dependent on the exposure parameters (kVp and mAs), scan length, and field of view. To further reduce the radiation dose, care should be taken in selecting an appropriate protocol as well as the provision of providing shielding to the thyroid gland.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose is to clarify the effect of additional scattering ratio on the edge of the block according to the increasing block thickness with low melting point lead alloy and pure lead in electron beam therapy. Methods and materials: $10{\times}10cm^2$ Shielding blocks made of low melting point lead alloy and pure lead were fabricated to shield mold frame half of applicator. Block thickness was 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 (mm) for each material. The common irradiation conditions were set at 6 MeV energy, 300 MU / Min dose rate, gantry angle of $0^{\circ}$, and dose of 100 MU. The relative scattering ratio with increasing block thickness was measured with a parallel plate type ion chamber(Exradin P11) and phantom(RW3) by varying the position of the shielding block(cone and on the phantom), the position of the measuring point(surface ans depth of $D_{max}$), and the block material(lead alloy and pure lead). Results : When (depth of measurement / block position / block material) was (surface / applicator / pure lead), the relative value(scattering ratio) was 15.33 nC(+0.33 %), 15.28 nC(0 %), 15.08 nC(-1.31 %), 15.05 nC(-1.51 %), 15.07 nC(-1.37 %) as the block thickness increased in order of 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 (mm) respectively. When it was (surface / applicator / alloy lead), the relative value(scattering ratio) was 15.19 nC(-0.59 %), 15.25 nC(-0.20 %), 15.15 nC(-0.85 %), 14.96 nC(-2.09 %), 15.15 nC(-0.85 %) respectively. When it was (surface / phantom / pure lead), the relative value(scattering ratio) was 15.62 nC(+2.23 %), 15.59 nC(+2.03 %), 15.53 nC(+1.67 %), 15.48 nC(+1.31 %), 15.34 nC(+0.39 %) respectively. When it was (surface / phantom / alloy lead), the relative value(scattering ratio) was 15.56 nC(+1.83 %), 15.55 nC(+1.77 %), 15.51 nC(+1.51 %), 15.42 nC(+0.92 %), 15.39 nC(+0.72 %) respectively. When it was (depth of $D_{max}$ / applicator / pure lead), the relative value(scattering ratio) was 16.70 nC(-10.87 %), 16.84 nC(-10.12 %), 16.72 nC(-10.78 %), 16.88 nC(-9.93 %), 16.90 nC(-9.82 %) respectively. When it was (depth of $D_{max}$ / applicator / alloy lead), the relative value(scattering ratio) was 16.83 nC(-10.19 %), 17.12 nC(-8.64 %), 16.89 nC(-9.87 %), 16.77 nC(-10.51 %), 16.52 nC(-11.85 %) respectively. When it was (depth of $D_{max}$ / phantom / pure lead), the relative value(scattering ratio) was 17.41 nC(-7.10 %), 17.45 nC(-6.88 %), 17.34 nC(-7.47 %), 17.42 nC(-7.04 %), 17.25 nC(-7.95 %) respectively. When it was (depth of $D_{max}$ / phantom / alloy lead), the relative value(scattering ratio) was 17.45 nC(-6.88 %), 17.44 nC(-6.94 %), 17.47 nC(-6.78 %), 17.43 nC(-6.99 %), 17.35 nC(-7.42 %) respectively. Conclusions: When performing electron therapy using a shielding block, the block position should be inserted applicator rather than the patient's body surface. The block thickness should be made to the minimum appropriate shielding thickness of each corresponding using energy. Also it is useful that the treatment should be performed considering the influence of scattering dose varying with distance from the edge of block.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2020

Background: Cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) is a promising material because of a high detection efficiency, good energy resolution, and operability at room temperature. However, the cost of CZT dramatically increases as its size increases. In this study, to achieve a large effective volume with relatively low cost, an array structure comprised of individual virtual Frisch-grid CZT detectors was proposed. Materials and Methods: The prototype consisted of 2 × 2 CZTs, a holder, anode and cathode printed circuit boards (PCBs), and an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). CZTs were used and the non-contacting shielding electrode method was applied for virtual Frisch-grid effect. An ASIC was used, and the holder and the PCBs were fabricated. In the current system, because the CZTs formed a common cathode, a total of 5 channels were assigned for data processing. Results and Discussion: An experiment using ¹³⁷Cs at room temperature was conducted for 10 minutes. Energy and timing information was acquired and the depth of interaction was calculated by the timing difference between the signals of both electrodes. Based on obtained three-dimensional position information, the energy correction was carried out, and as a result the energy spectra showed the improvements. In addition, a Compton image was reconstructed using the iterative method. Conclusion: The virtual Frisch-grid CZT detector based on the array structure was developed and the energy spectra and the Compton image were successfully acquired.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.93-93
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• 2003

Tungsten and tungsten heavy alloys have widespread application as radiation shielding devices and heavy duty electrical contacts. High density and good room temperature mechanical properties have generated interest in evaluating tungsten and tungsten alloys as kinetic energy penetrators against armor. Nowdays ultra fine-grained tungsten powders are in great interest because higly dense structures can be obtained at low temperature, pressure and lower sintering time. Several physical md chemical methods are available for the synthesis of nanometric metal Powders: ball milling, laser abalation, vapor condensation, chemical precipitation, metallic wire explosion i.e. However production rates of the above mentioned methods are low and further efforts are needed to find out large-scale synthesis methods. From this point of view solid state combustion method ( known as SHS) represents undoubted interest.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.9
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• pp.3459-3469
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• 2022

Matrix composites of n-WO₃/n-Bi₂O₃/PVA with different loadings of n-WO₃/n-Bi₂O₃ mixtures (0-15 wt%) and starch (0 and 3 wt%) were fabricated by using melt-mixing method. The X-ray attenuation capability were evaluated based on mass attenuation coefficient (μ/⍴) using a general diagnostic X-ray machine at 40-100 kVp. The effect of starch addition on the dispersion of the fillers in the PVA matrix were observed by using FESEM through morphological analysis. The fabricated samples have shrunken and caused their thickness to be decreased (0.35 mm-0.55 mm) after the drying process even though fixed thickness (2.0 mm) was set initially. The density and HVL values of the samples with 3 wt% starch was seen lower than samples without starch (0 wt%), however the former have provided improvement in filler dispersion and better X-ray attenuation capability compared to the latter. As conclusion, the matrix composite of n-WO₃/n-Bi₂O₃/PVA with 15 wt% of n-Bi₂O₃, 8 wt% of n-WO₃ and 3 wt% starch can be selected as the best promising candidate for X-ray shielding materials.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.78-84
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• 2024

Background: As the quantity and complexity of radiological interventions are constantly increasing, gear that offers optimal protection while maintaining mobility and a low weight burden is becoming more important. A newly developed exoskeleton radiation protection system (ERPS) (StemRad MD; StemRad Ltd.) can carry the weight of the shielding. The aim of our study was to analyze initial experience, especially in terms of advantages and disadvantages, with this new ERPS in interventional radiology. Materials and Methods: Forty-six interventions utilizing the ERPS were analyzed. The interventional radiologists completed a 15-question survey evaluating various aspects of the protective system, including weight, mobility, comfort, and radiation protection adequacy. Results and Discussion: In 98% of procedures, interventionalists reported being very satisfied (89%) or slightly satisfied (9%) and would recommend the system to colleagues. The exoskeleton system was rated as 100% comfortable, not too heavy, and did not restrict mobility in 98% of cases. Conclusion: The ERPS is a recommendable alternative to standard lead aprons, providing flexibility, comfort, and effective weight distribution without restricting mobility.