• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.19-32
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• 2010

Electrolytic reduction technology is essential for the purpose of adopting pyroprocessing into spent oxide fuel as an alternative option in a back-end fuel cycle. Spent fuel consists of various metal oxides, and each metal oxide releases an oxygen element depending on its chemical characteristic during the electrolytic reduction process. In the present work, an electrolytic reduction behavior was estimated for voloxidized spent fuel based on the assumption that each metal-oxygen system is independent and behaves as an ideal solid solution. The electrolytic reduction was considered as a combination of a Li recovery and chemical reactions between the metal oxides such as uranium oxide and the produced Li metal. The calculated result revealed that most of the metal oxides were reduced by the process. It was evaluated that a reduced fraction of lanthanide oxides increased with a decreasing $Li_2O$ concentration. However, most of the lanthanides were expected to be stable in their oxide forms. In addition, a semi-empirical model for describing $U_3O_8$ electrolytic reduction behavior was proposed by considering Li diffusion and a chemical reaction between $U_3O_8$ and Li. Experimental data was used to determine model parameters and, then, the model was applied to calculate the reduction yield with time and to estimate the required time for a 99.9% reduction.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2010

In the present work, an electrowinning process in the LiCl-KCl/Cd system is considered to model and analyze the electrotransport of the actinide and rare-earth elements. A simple dynamic modeling of this process was performed by taking into account the material balances and diffusion-controlled electrochemical reactions in a diffusion boundary layer at an electrode interface between the molten salt electrolyte and liquid cadmium cathode. The proposed modeling approach was based on the half-cell reduction reactions of metal chloride occurring on the cathode. This model demonstrated a capability for the prediction of the concentration behaviors, a faradic current of each element and an electrochemical potential as function of the time up to the corresponding electrotransport satisfying a given applied current based on a galvanostatic electrolysis. The results of selected case studies including five elements (U, Pu, Am, La, Nd) system are shown, and a preliminary simulation is carried out to show how the model can be used to understand the electrochemical characteristics and provide better information for developing an advanced electrowinner.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2010

Layer crystallization process was tested for the separation(or concentration) of cesium and strontium fission products in a LiCl waste salt generated from an electrolytic reduction process of a spent oxide fuel. In a crystallization process, impurities (CsCl and $SrCl_2$) are concentrated in a small fraction of the LiCl salt by the solubility difference between the melt phase and the crystal phase. Based on the phase diagram of LiCl-CsCl-$SrCl_2$ system, the separation possibility by using crystallization was determined and the molten salt temperature profile during layer crystallization operation was predicted by using mathematical calculation. In the layer crystallization process, the crystal growth rate strongly affects the crystal structure and therefore the separation efficiency. In the conditions of about 20-25 l/min cooling air flow rate and less than 0.2g/min/$cm^2$ crystal flux, the separation efficiency of both CsCl and $SrCl_2$ showed about 90% by the layer crystallization process, assuming a LiCl salt reuse rate of 90wt%.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.65-74
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• 1970

Formation of the complexes of alkaline earths with citrate ions in aqueous, acetone-water and ethanol-water solutions was studied at room temperature by the equilibrium exchange technique. This technique involved the measurements of distribution of radioactivity between cation exchange resin and solution phase after the radioactive metal ions were equilibriated with the cation exchange resin in the presence of citrate ions ($Cit^{3-}$) of varying concentrations. The pH of the solutions was controlled to 7.2-7.5, and the ionic strength of the solutions was kept at 0.10-0.12. The present study revealed that both barium and strontium ions formed the one to one citrate complexes, $[M Cit]^-$ in all solvent systems examined. It was also observed that calcium ions formed the one to one citrate complex in aqueous solution. In acetone-water and ethanol-water solutions, however, calcium ions were observed to form both one to one and one to two complexes, $[Ca Cit]^-$ and $[Ca\;Cit_2]^{4-}$. The results of the present study indicated also that relative stabilities of the complexes increased in the order; $Ba^{++}\;<\;Sr^{++}\;<\;Ca^{++}$, and in the order of increasing concentration of the organic components in the mixed solvent systems.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.304-310
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• 1997

In greenhouse, a mixed solution of Mn-54, Co-60, Sr-85 and Cs-137 was applied to the soil of culture boxes 2 days before sowing cucumber and at 4 different times during its growth for measuring their transfer factors (TFs) for fruit and migration in soil. TFs varied with radionuclide, application time and harvest time by factor of up to about 60. Variations in TFs with application time showed different patterns among radionuclides. TFs decreased on the whole in the order of Sr-85 > Mn-54 > Co-60 > Cs-137. TFs of Mn-54, Co-60 and Cs-137 mixed with topsoil before sowing were a little higher than those for the soil-surface application made at an early growth stage while no difference in Sr-85 TF was found. After harvest, soil concentrations of the radionuclides applied at an early growth stage were examined. They decreased with increasing soil depth and 80${\sim}$99% of the radioactivity remained in the top 3cm. Soil pemeation of the radionuclides migration decreased in the order of Sr-85 > Mn-54 > Co-60 > Cs-137. The present data can be utilized in estimating radionuclide concentration in cucumber fruit, taking proper measures for its harvest and consumption and designing the best way of soil decontamination following an radioactive deposition during the cucummber growing season.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.129-139
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• 2008

In this study, a sorption experiment of multivalent nuclides such as Eu(III) and Th(IV) relatively stable for redox reactions was carried out for bentonite colloids which had been prepared from the domestic Gyeongju bentonite. The amounts of the nuclides lost by an attachment to bottle walls, by a precipitation, and by a colloid formation were estimated by performing blank tests for the sorption experiments. Sorption coefficients, $K_d's$, reflecting the mass losses were obtained and investigated for the sorption of Eu(III) and Th(IV) onto the bentonite colloids. The net sorption coefficients $K_d's$ considering all the three mass losses were measured as about $10^6-10^7\;mL/g$ and $7{\times}10^6-10^7\;mL/g$ for Eu(III) and Th(IV), respectively, depending on pH. In particular, a precipitation occurred mainly at a pH greater than 5 for Eu(III) and a precipitation and colloid formation significantly occurred at a pH greater than 3 for Th(IV). The precipitation and colloid formation of the multivalent nuclides of Eu(III) and Th(IV) therefore should be considered when $K_d's$ are rightly obtained over the pH range where their precipitation and colloid formation become significant at a given concentration.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.441-454
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• 2018

Since the permanent shutdown of Kori Unit 1 in 2017, a full-scale decommissioning project for a commercial nuclear reactor has been approaching. It is estimated that about 160,000 t of low-activity concrete waste will be produced from decommissioning of one unit of this commercial nuclear power reactor. Accordingly, it is necessary to review whether the effectiveness of the current regulatory framework for clearance waste (i.e. waste stream that meets activity concentration guidelines or dose criteria for clearance set forth in NSSC Notice No. 2017-65) can be maintained for the clearance of a bulk amount of concrete waste. In this regard, the IAEA SRS No. 44, which was used as a basis for revision of the Korean clearance regulations, is thoroughly analyzed and the radiological effects from four different clearance scenarios, along with input values and parameters derived from industrial practices in Korea, were evaluated. Though it is shown that the maximum annual dose from most recycling scenarios will be less than the clearance dose criterion for the normal scenario (i.e. an order of magnitude of $0.01mSv{\cdot}y^{-1}$), the radiation dose, estimated with conservative assumptions for the banking scenario, may exceed the above clearance dose criteria. Therefore, for safe and sustainable clearance of the bulk amount of concrete waste, it is required to diversify the concrete waste processors, perform more detailed site-specific assessment, and apply limiting conditions to the banking scenario.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.279-298
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• 2019

This study comprehensively addresses recent progress at KAERI in waste treatment technology to cope with waste produced by pyroprocessing, which is used to effectively manage spent fuel. The goal of pyroprocessing waste treatment is to reduce final waste volume, fabricate durable waste forms suitable for disposal, and ensure safe packaging and storage. KAERI employs grouping of fission products recovered from process streams and immobilizes them in separate waste forms, resulting in product recycling and waste volume minimization. Novel aspects of KAERI approach include high temperature treatment of spent oxide fuel for the fabrication of feed materials for the oxide reduction process, and fission product concentration or separation from LiCl or LiCl-KCl salt streams for salt recycling and higher fission-product loading in the final waste form. Based on laboratory-scale tests, an engineering-scale process test is in progress to obtain information on the performance of scale-up processes at KAERI.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.256-266
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• 2022

It is important to determine the concentration of long-lived radionuclides (e.g., ¹²⁹I) in nuclear waste to ensure safety when handling it. To analyze nuclides in a solid sample (e.g., concrete and soil), it is essential to effectively separate and purify the nuclides of interest in the sample. This study reports the comprehensive efforts made to validate the analytical procedure for ¹²⁹I detection in solid samples, using a high-temperature combustion furnace. ¹²⁹I volatilized from the sample collected in 0.01 M HNO₃ solution with a reducing agent (e.g., NaHSO₃) and was rapidly measured by ICP-MS. Analytical conditions, such as pyrolysis temperature and types of mobile phase gas, catalyst, and trapping solution, were optimized to obtain a high recovery rate of spiked ¹²⁹I. Finally, the optimized method was applied for the simultaneous analysis of other volatile radionuclides, such as ³H and ¹⁴C. The performance test results for the optimized method confirmed that the LSC (for ³H and ¹⁴C) and ICP-MS (for ¹²⁹I) measurements, with the separation of volatile nuclides using a high-temperature combustion furnace, were reliable.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.294-299
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to provide basic data on the safety of Poria cocos, a major Korean herbal medicine, and to establish tolerance levels for hazardous substances. Residual pesticides (321 types), heavy metals (7 types), radioactivity (3 types), and ash content were analyzed in 10 Poria cocos products distributed in Korea (5 domestic and 5 in China). Of the residual pesticides, cypermethrin was detected at 0.03 mg/kg in one domestic sample and was below the standard value. Of the heavy metals, the levels of Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Hg, and Cr were below the standard values in all samples. Hg was not detected in any sample. Cd was detected at 0.011 mg/kg in one Chinese sample. The radioactivity concentration was also below the MDA value in all P. cocos samples. The ash content was less than the standard value of 1.0% in all P. cocos samples. The findings indicate that P. cocos distributed in Korea is safe. However, because P. cocos is always exposed to harmful substances because of the nature of its cultivation in the soil, it seems necessary to establish systematic management standards for the entire production stage, such as cultivation, storage, and distribution.