• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2017

Background: Phosphate rock and its by-product are widely used in various industries to produce phosphoric acid, gypsum, gypsum board, and fertilizer. Owing to its high level of natural radioactive nuclides (e.g., $^{238}U$ and $^{226}Ra$), the radiological safety of workers who work with phosphate rock should be systematically managed. In this study, $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$, $^{226}Ra$, and $^{40}K$ levels were measured to analyze the transport characteristics of these radionuclides in the production cycle of phosphate rock. Materials and Methods: Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and gamma spectrometry were used to determine the activity of $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$, $^{226}Ra$, and $^{40}K$. To evaluate the extent of secular disequilibrium, the analytical results were compared using statistical methods. Finally, the distribution of radioactivity across different stages of the phosphate rock production cycle was evaluated. Results and Discussion: The concentration ratios of $^{226}Ra$ and $^{238}U$ in phosphate rock were close to 1.0, while those found in gypsum and fertilizer were extremely different, reflecting disequilibrium after the chemical reaction process. The nuclide with the highest activity level in the production cycle of phosphate rock was $^{40}K$, and the median $^{40}K$ activity was $8.972Bq{\cdot}g^{-1}$ and $1.496Bq{\cdot}g^{-1}$, respectively. For the $^{238}U$ series, the activity of $^{238}U$ and $^{226}Ra$ was greatest in phosphate rock, and the distribution of activity values clearly showed the transport characteristics of the radionuclides, both for the byproducts of the decay sequences and for their final products. Conclusion: Although the activity of $^{40}K$ in k-related fertilizer was relatively high, it made a relatively low contribution to the total radiological effect. However, the activity levels of $^{226}Ra$ and $^{238}U$ in phosphate rock were found to be relatively high, near the upper end of the acceptable limits. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically manage the radiological safety of workers engaged in phosphate rock processing.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2005

Preparation of ferrocyanide-anion exchange resin and adsorption test of the prepared resin on the Cs$^{+}$$ion were performed. Adsorption capability of the prepared resin on the Cs$^{+}$ion in the simulated citric acid based soil decontamination waste solution was 4 times greater than that of the commercial cation exchange resin. Adsorption equilibrium of the prepared resin on the Cs$^{+}$ion reached within 360 minutes. Adsorption capability on the Cs$^{+}$ion became to decrease above the necessary Co$^{2+}$ion concentration in the experimental range. Recycling test of the spent ion exchange resin by the successive application of hydrogen peroxide and hydrazine was also performed. It was found that desorption of Cs$^{+}$ion from the resin occurred to satisfy the electroneutrality condition without any degradation of the resin.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.81-92
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• 2003

In order to predict the dynamic behaviors of uranium and cobalt in a fixed bed at various influent pH values of liquid waste, the adsorption system is regarded as a multi-component adsorption between each ionic species in the solution. Langmuir isotherm parameters of each species were extracted by incorporating equilibrium data with the solution chemistry of the uranium and cobalt using IAST. Prediction results were in good agreement with the experimental data, except for a high concentration and pH. Although there was some limitations in predicting the cobalt adsorption, this method may be useful in analyzing a complex adsorption system where various kinds of ionic species exist in a solution.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.171-177
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• 1993

In decontamination process to remove radioactive materials of reactor cooling system, the metal ions dissolved by organic acids in decontamination solution are separated by use of ion exchange resin in the column. However, organic acids in decontamination solution decrease the apparent affinity of the resin to metal ions. In light of this, some experiments were carried out on the Amberlite IRN-77 cation resin with cobalt and iron to gain a better understanding of the complexation effects on the ion exchange process. Experimental results showed that EDTA among organic acids used as chemical decontaminants predominantly caused reduction of ion exchange capacity of cobaltous ion to resin since this reagent formed the complex with the cobaltous ion stronger than that with the ferrous ion. In contrast, the effects of oxalic acid and citric acid were found to be negligible. And, single and two-component nonlinear equilibrium relationships of the metal ions were established using experimental data.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.416-423
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• 1973

Formation of the complexes of alkaline earth metal ions with malonate and o-phthalate ions in aqueous, ethanol-water and acetone-water solutions (20% by volume) was studied at room temperature by the equilibrium ion exchange technique. This technique involved the measurements of distribution of radioactivity between cation exchange resin(Ion Exchange Resin CGC 241) and solution phases after the radioactive metal ions were equilibriated with the cation exchange resin in the presence of malonate or o-phthalate ions 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 0.10~0.11. The results of the present study indicated that the alkaline earth metal ions formed one-to-one complexes with the dibasic organic acids in all solvent systems examined. The present study showed that the relative stabilities of the complexes increased in the order: $Ba^{++}\;<\;Sr^{++}\;<\;Ca^{++}$ complexes. It was also observed that the relative tendency of the o-phthalate ion for the complex formation was somewhat greater than that of malonate ion in each solvent system. Furthermore, it was noted that the complexes were formed more readily in the mixed solvent than in the aqueous solution.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.66-73
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• 2017

This study was to evaluate the influential parameters such as intial Cs concentration, reaction temperature, contact time and pH variation of solution on Cs adsorption. Using the experimental data, adsorption kinetics, isotherms and thermodynamic properties were analyzed. The Cs ion adsorption of the zeolite X was effective in the range from pH 5 to 10 and reached equilibrium after 60 minutes. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms of Cs ion with the zeolite X was described well by the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacities of Cs ion calculated from Langmuir isotherm model at 293~333 K were from 303.03 mg/g to 333.33 mg/g. It was found that thermodynamic property of Cs ion absorption on the zeolite X was spontaneous and endothermic reaction. The experimental data were fitted a second-order polynomial equation by the multiple regression analysis. The values of the dependent variable calculated by this best fitted model equation were in very good agreement with the experimentally obtained values.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.50-63
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• 1985

A derivation of new release limit, named Derived Release Limit(DRL), into the atomsphere from a reference nuclear power plant has been performed on the basis of the new system of dose limitation recommended by the ICRP, instead of the (MPC)a limit which has been currently used until now as a general standard for radioactive effluents in Korea. In DRL Calculation, a Concentration Factor Method was applied, in which the concentrations of long-term routinely released radionuclides were in equilibrium with dose in environment under the steady state condition. The analytical model used in the exposure pathway analysis was the one which has been suggested by the USNRC and the exposure limits applied in this analysis were those recommended by the USEPA lately. In the exposure pathway analysis, all of the pathways are not considered and some may be excluded either because they are not applicable or their contribution to the exposure is insignificant compared with other pathways. In case, the environmental model developed in this study was applied to the Kori nuclear power plant as the reference power plant, the highest DRL value was calculated to be as $9.10{\times}10^6Ci/yr$ for Kr-85 in external whole body exposure from the semi-infinite radioactive cloud, while the lowest DRL value was observed 3.64Ci/yr for Co-60 in external whole body exposure from the contaminated ground, by the radioactive particulates. The most critical exposure pathway to an individual in the unrestricted area of interest (Kilchun-Ri, 1.3 km to the north of the release point) seems to be the exposure pathway from the contaminated ground and the most critical radionuclide in all pathways appears to be Co-60 in the same pathway. When comparing the actual release rate from KNU-l in 1982 with the DRL's obtained here the release of radionuclides from KNU-1 were much lower than the DRL's and it could be conclued that the exposure to an individual had been kept below the exposure limits recommended by the USEPA.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 2014

The four natural zeolites collected in Pohang and Gyeongju area, Kyungsangbuk-do, Korea, were characterized by XRD, XRF, DTA, TGA, and CEC analysis. The primary species of these zeolite are heulandite, modenite, illite, and illite in Kuryongpo (Ku), Pohang (Po), Yangbuk-A (Ya-A), and Yangbuk-B (Ya-B) samples. The XRF analysis showed that the four zeolites contain Si, Al, Na, K, Mg, Ca, and Fe. Cation exchange capacity of Kuryongpo (Ku) zeolite was the highest compared to other zeolites. The adsorption capacities of Cs and Sr in the four natural zeolites were compared at $25^{\circ}C$. On the basis of adsorption data Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm model were confirmed. The equilibrium process was descried well by Langmuir isotherm model. This study shows that Ya-A zeolite is the most efficient for the $Cs^+$ and $Sr^{2+}$ ion adsorption compared to the other natural zeolites.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.428-435
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• 1999

A method for measuring Rn-222 and Ra-226 in aqueous sample using liquid scintillation counting technique has been studied. The Rn-222 was extracted easily from the water sample (10 mL) by 12 mL of xylene based organic scintillant. After radioactive equilibrium between Rn-222 and its alpha emitting decay products for three hours, the alpha activity from Rn-222 and its decay products were measured in a scintillation vial using the Wallae $1220^{TM}$ Quantulus liquid scintillation counter. Ra-226 concentration in aqueous sample was determined, after isolation of Ra-226 from the sample matrix, by extraction the ingrowth of the Rn-222 and its alpha emitting decay products with xylene based organic scintillant. The optimum pulse-shape analysis (PSA) value was evaluated by the figure of merit (FM) criterion. Minimum detectable activity (MDA) is about 0.14 Bq/L (3.78 pCi) for the region of Rn-222 and its alpha emitting decay products and 0.06 Bq/L (1.63 pCi) for the region of Po-214 respectively, with 200 min, counting time at PSA level 100 in the low-diffusion polyethylene vial and xylene based cocktail solution. Experiment on the optimum sample-cocktail volume ratio, the influence of agitation and the diffusion of radon from vial were carried out.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2007

It was intended in this study to investigate the effects of various parameters on the chemical reaction or mass transfer yield in a tubular-type nuclear waste treatment equipment. Since such equipments, as a tubular reactor, multistage solvent extractor, and adsorption column, accompany chemical reaction or mass transfer along the fluid-flowing direction, mathematical modeling for each equipment was carried out first. Then their behaviors of the chemical reaction or mass transfer were predicted through computer simulations. The inherent major parameters for each equipment were chosen and their sensitivities. affecting the reaction or mass transfer yield were analyzed. For the tubular reactor, the effects of axial diffusion coefficient and reaction rate constant on the reaction yield were investigated. As for the multistage solvent extractor, the backmixing of continuous phase and the distribution coefficient between fluid and solvent were considered as the major parameters affecting the extraction yield as well as concentration profiles throughout the axial direction of the extractor. For the adsorption column, the equilibrium constant between fluid and adsorbent surface, and the overall mass transfer coefficient between the two phases were taken as the major factors that affect the adsorption rate.