• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.56 no.5
• /
• pp.501-514
• /
• 2023

Forest fires can generate numerous pollutants through the combustion of vegetation and cause serious environmental problems. The global warming and climate change will increase the frequency and scale of forest fires across the world. In Korea, many nuclear power plants (NPPs) are located in the East Coast where large-scale forest fires frequently occur. Therefore, understanding the sorption and transport characteristics of radionuclides in the forest fire areas is required against the severe accidents in NPPs. This article reviewed the physiochemical changes and contamination of groundwater and soil environments after forest fires, and discussed sorption and transport of radionuclides in the subsurface environment of burned forest area. We considered the geochemical factors of subsurface environment changed by forest fire. Moreover, we highlighted the need for studies on changes and contamination of subsurface environments caused by forest fires to understand more specific mechanisms.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.4
• /
• pp.1250-1253
• /
• 2024

Activity measurement of the primary circuit water of fission reactors is one method that can provide early detection of a damaged fuel assembly in the reactor core. This is an important aspect in the safe operation of the reactor and for radiation protection of staff. Radionuclides in the primary circuit water are produced by the activation of stable nuclides and the fission of fissile nuclides, mainly the isotope ²³⁵U. In the LVR-15 research reactor, measurement of the activity of the primary circuit water has been regularly undertaken since 1996. A water sample is taken from the primary circuit every week and the activities are measured four days later using gamma spectrometry. The results of these long-term measurements from 1996 to 2022 are presented. The activity time dependences of the individual radionuclides are discussed in relation to fuel assembly damage and for events connected to contamination of the water by objects inserted into the primary circuit during experiments carried out near the reactor core.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.21-26
• /
• 2002

For the consideration of the influence on radioactive contamination of foods due to rain during the release period of radionuclides in a nuclear accident, the previous dynamic food chain model was improved. Wet interception coefficients for the agricultural plants were derived as a function of radionuclide and rainfall amount, and mathematical formula of the model was also re-established. In the results for the same time-integrated radioactive concentrations on the ground, radioactive contamination of foods decreased greatly by rainfall, and it decreased dramatically according to increasing rainfall amount. It means that predictive contamination in foods using the previous dynamic food chain model, in which dry interception to the agricultural plants is only considered, can be overestimated. Among radionuclides considering in this study ($^{137}Cs,\;^{90}Sr,\;^{131}I$), influence of rainfall for food contamination was the most sensitive to $^{131}I$, and the least sensitive to $^{90}Sr$.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.126-131
• /
• 2004

The surface of dense polysulfane films was modified through solvent treatment. The modification process consisted of dipping a film for one second in dimethylformamide and then immersing it Into a nonsolvent bath. After being solidified, the original transparent film transformed into an opaque white one, which is due to the light scattering on pores newly developed on the surface. The surface roughness entailing the pore formation was more explicit on a film coagulated by water as nonsolvent than on a film coagulated by isopropanol. The surface-modified films show the better pick-up efficiency than a conventional filter paper on the detaching of radioactive contaminants on the contaminated area. The pick-up efficiency of the film prepared by the water immersion process was superior to that of the film prepared in the isopropanol bath, which was consistent with the surface roughness result. The surface-modified films kept the dense inner structure, playing a major role preventing a possible secondary contamination during the pick-up process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2004.06a
• /
• pp.97-104
• /
• 2004

Double-layered polysulfone composite films, containing cerium activated yttrium silicate (CAYS) as a flour, were prepared from double casting of two polymeric solutions, and their morphology and physical strength were superior to those of single-layered composites. The prepared polymeric films consist of a dense bottom layer and a CAYS-holding top layer. The former is made of coagulating the polysulfone and methylene chloride binary solution and works as a supporter to improve the composite's physical strength, while the latter holding the inorganic fluor plays a role as an active site to detect the radioactive contamination. The prepared films revealed two distinguished, but tightly attached, double layers, their attachment being identified by morphology of the interface between two layers. As prepared by water immersion coagulation, the films have highly developed macropores, compared with a dense structure in the film prepared by evaporation. In the radionuclide detection test of the CAYS-impregnated composites, the films have reliable detection capacity at a radionuclide spotting test. The double-layered composites with the dense support layer show a better stability in holding the radionuclides spotted on the surface as well as an improvement in physical strength, compared with the single-layer composites having shortcomings such as being too porous or being brittle.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.99-105
• /
• 2005

A model for evaluating radioactive contamination in the urban environment, named METRO-K, was developed as a basic step for accident consequence analysis in case of an accidental release. The three kind of radionuclides $(^{137}Cs,\;^{106}Ru,\;^{131}I)$ and the different chemical forms of iodine (particulate, organic and elemental forms) are considered in the model. The radioactive concentrations are evaluated for the five types of surface (roof, paved road, wall, lawn/soil, tree) as a function of time. Using the model, the contaminative impacts of the surfaces were intensively investigated with respect to with and without precipitation during the measurement periods of radionuclides in air. In addition, a practical application study was conducted using $^{137}Cs$ concentration in air and precipitation measured in an European country at the Chernobyl accident. As a result precipitation was an influential factor in surface contamination. The degree of contamination was strongly dependent on the types of radionuclide and surface. Precipitation was more influential in contamination of $^{137}Cs$ than that of $^{131}I$ (elemental form).

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2005.11a
• /
• pp.47-55
• /
• 2005

A design of a dismantling mock-up system have been established based on the result that analyzed a characteristic of modules which need to design a virtual dismantling facility. A unit program composed of a various module such as a decommissioning database system. 3D dosimetric mapping that represents a distribution of a radionuclide contamination, a evaluation module for a dismantling schedule and cost A research of software architecture was carried out in order to Integrate these components that have been independently operated. The result was established an architecture that consis of a visualization module which could be visualized D&D activities and a simulation module which tan he evaluated a dismantling schedule and decommissioning cost.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.33 no.9
• /
• pp.675-685
• /
• 2024

This study aimed to analyze the effects of cesium (Cs) treatment concentrations and organic matter on the growth of Chinese cabbage plants. The growth responses of cabbage to the Cs treatment varied depending on the concentration of Cs and the organic matter content in the soil. Higher concentrations of Cs in the soil presented a detrimental effect on cabbage growth. Specifically, increased Cs levels led to a reduction in leaf number, leaf area, chlorophyll content, and fresh and dry weights. However, an increase in the soil organic matter content positively affected the fresh and dry weights. These trends were particularly pronounced in Chinese cabbage plants grown for 80 days after treatment. Soil organic matter proved to effectively mitigate the negative effects of Cs on plant growth. Incorporating organic matter into Cs-contaminated soils can, therefore, enhance the immobilization of radioactive isotopes and contribute to the stabilization of contaminated soils, making it a useful strategy for managing radioactive contamination.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.237-246
• /
• 2016

This study is therefore aimed at measuring the surface dose rate and the spatial dose rate in and outside the radionuclide facility in order to ensure safety of the patients, radiation workers and family care-givers in their use of such equipment and to provide a basic framework for further research on radiation protection. The study was conducted at 4 restrooms in and outside the radionuclide facility of a general hospital in Incheon between May 1 and July 31, 2014. During the study period, the spatial contamination dose rate and the surface contamination dose rate before and after radiation use were measured at the 4 places-thyroid therapy room, PET center, gamma camera room, and outpatient department. According to the restroom use survey by hospitals, restrooms in the radionuclide facility were used not only by patients but also by family care-givers and some of radiation workers. The highest cumulative spatial radiation dose rate was 8.86 mSv/hr at camera room restroom, followed by 7.31 mSv/hr at radioactive iodine therapy room restroom, 2.29 mSv/hr at PET center restroom, and 0.26 mSv/hr at outpatient department restroom, respectively. The surface radiation dose rate measured before and after radiation use was the highest at toilets, which are in direct contact with patient's excretion, followed by the center and the entrance of restrooms. Unsealed radioactive sources used in nuclear medicine are relatively safe due to short half lives and low energy. A patient who received those radioactive sources, however, may become a mobile radioactive source and contaminate areas the patient contacts-camera room, sedation room, and restroom-through secretion and excretion. Therefore, patients administered radionuclides should be advised to drink sufficient amounts of water to efficiently minimize radiation exposure to others by reducing the biological half-life, and members of the public-family care-givers, pregnant women, and children-be as far away from the patients until the dose remains below the permitted dose limit.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.71-78
• /
• 2016

This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of natural radionuclides in Korean groundwater. Groundwater radionuclide data for the period 2000-2011 were obtained from the National Institute of Environmental Research and published literature, classified into five groups according to host rock type, and used to construct detailed concentration maps. Radon, uranium, gross-α, and radium concentrations ranged from 0.4 to 64,688.0 pCi/L (mean: 4,907 pCi/L), 0 to 2,297 μg/L (mean: 27.5 μg/L), 0 to 312 pCi/L (mean: 3.9 pCi/L), and 0 to 17.4 pCi/L (mean: 0.2 pCi/L), respectively. Radon concentrations in 562 of a total 1,501 wells (i.e., 53.5%) exceeded 4,000 pCi/L, which is the acceptable contamination threshold established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Uranium, gross-α, and radium concentrations exceeded the respective thresholds of 30 μg/L, 15 pCi/L, and 5 pCi/L in 121 of 1,031 wells (11.9%), 34 of 978 wells (3.5%), and 4 of 89 wells (4.5%), respectively. The mean radionuclide concentration in groundwaters hosted by igneous and metamorphic rocks was higher than that in groundwaters hosted by other rock types, such as volcanics, carbonates, and other sedimentary rocks. The correlations between individual radionuclides were weak or insignificant.