• 분석과학
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.134-142
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• 2018

The uranium isotopic ratio in environmental samples around nuclear facilities is important because it reveals information regarding illegal activities or anthropogenic pollution. Determination of uranium isotopes, however, is a challenging task requiring much labor and time because of the complex separation procedures and lengthy process. In this study, a rapid determination method for uranium isotopes in environmental samples was developed using. The sample was completely decomposed using the alkali fusion method. The separation procedure using extraction chromatography (UTEVA) was simplified in a single step without any further removal process for Si and major matrix elements. The established method can be completed within 3 h from sample dissolution to ICP-MS measurement. Most matrix elements and uranium isotopes in the soil samples were well separated and purified. Five types of were used to assess the method's accuracy and precision for a rapid uranium analysis method. The analytical accuracy for all CRM samples ranged from 95.1 % to 97.8 %, and the relative standard deviation was below 3.9 %. From the analytical results, one may draw conclusions that the evaluated method for uranium isotopes using alkali-fusion, the extraction chromatography process, and ICP-MS measurements is fast and fairly reliable owing to its recovering efficiencies. Thus, it is expected that the evaluated method can contribute to the improvement of environmental monitoring ability.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제21권6호
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• pp.146-155
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• 2016

The field feasibility tests for a phytoextraction process were performed to identify the effect of citric acid as a chelate on the uranium (U) transfer into the plant for the naturally U contaminated soil in Duckpyeongri, Korea. For the feasibility tests, lettuce and Chinese cabbage were cultivated for 49 days on four testing grounds ($1m{\times}1m{\times}0.5m$ in each) in 2016. The citric acid solution was added to two testing grounds (one for lettuce and the other for Chinese cabbage) increasing the U transfer in two crop plants and their results were compared to those without the citric acid solution. When without the citric acid solution, the U concentration of plant after the cultivation was low (< $45{\mu}g/kg$ for leaves and < $450{\mu}g/kg$ for roots). However, with the addition of 50 mM citric acid solution, the U concentration of lettuce leaves and roots increased by 24 times and 1.8 times, and the U concentration of Chinese cabbage leaves and roots increased by 86.7 times and 5.4 times. The absolute accumulated U amount (${\mu}g$) in lettuce and Chinese cabbage also increased by 8.7 times and 50 times, compared to those without citric acid solution. Less than 8% of the U amount of exchangeable/carbonate phases was removed by using the lettuce and Chinese cabbage when the citric acid solution was not applied. However 52% and 66% of the U amount in exchangeable/carbonate phases were removed by the lettuce and the Chinese cabbage when the citric acid solution was added. The effect of the citric acid on the U transfer capability into the plants was quantitatively investigated by the field feasibility test, suggesting that U existing as exchangeable/carbonate phase in soil can be successfully removed by the phytoextraction process using Chinese cabbage with citric acid.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.19-31
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• 2013

To figure out the decay characteristics of naturally occurring radionuclides, eight sampled groundwaters from a monitoring borehole having high levels of uranium and radon concentrations in a two mica granitic area have analyzed by liquid scintillation counters (LSC) for over 1 year. In December 2011, three groundwater samples (DJ1, DJ2, DJ3) were obtained from each aquifer system located at -20 m, -40 m, -60 m of the monitoring borehole below the ground surface, respectively. Five samples (DJ4, DJ5, DJ6, DJ7, DJ8) were additionally gained from each aquifer positioned -20 m, -40 m, -60 m, -100 m, -105 m of the borehole in February 2012, respectively. Temporal variation characteristics of uranium and radon concentrations have showed over maximum 2.1 times and 1.4 times fluctuations of the values in the same sampling intervals over time, respectively. The intervals of -40 m and -105 m in the borehole have the highest values of uranium and radon concentrations, respectively. This may imply that the concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides such as uranium and radon in groundwater have been changed over time and indicate that the qualities of groundwaters from the aquifers developed at each interval in the borehole are different each other. This discrepancy, moreover, could be caused by behaviour differences between uranium which is in ionic status having a half life of 4.6 billion years and is transported along with the flowing groundwater, and radon which is in gaseous status having a 3.82 day's half life in the aquifer systems. Physicochemical characteristics of groundwaters from the aquifer systems could be identified by the results of the on-situ measuring items such as pH and Eh, and the major ionic contents. The CPM values of eight groundwater samples analysed by LSC over one year have shown not to follow the theoretical decay curve of the radon. The CPM values of the samples have ranged from 2 to 7.5 after it had passed two months when the theoretical CPM values of the radon started zero since the initial analysis. Alpha and beta particle spectrums have shown the peaks of radium-226, however they have not revealed any peaks of radon and it's daughter products such as polonium-218 and 214, bismuth-214 for the late stage of the analysis. This implies that the groundwater from the borehole may contain radium-226 having a half life of 1,600 years which decays continuously.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권12호
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• pp.4527-4542
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• 2023

The present microbial reinforcement of rock and soil exhibits limitations, such as uneven reinforcement effectiveness and low calcium carbonate generation rate, resulting in limited solidification strength. This study introduces electroosmosis as a standard microbial grouting reinforcement technique and investigates its solidification effects on microbial-reinforced uranium tailings. The most effective electroosmosis effect on uranium tailings occurs under a potential gradient of 1.25 V/cm. The findings indicate that a weak electric field can effectively promote microbial growth and biological activity and accelerate bacterial metabolism. The largest calcium carbonate production occurred under the gradient of 0.5 V/cm, featuring a good crystal combination and the best cementation effect. Staged electroosmosis and electrode conversion efficiently drive the migration of anions and cations. Under electroosmosis, the cohesion of uranium tailings reinforced by microorganisms increased by 37.3% and 64.8% compared to those reinforced by common microorganisms and undisturbed uranium tailings, respectively. The internal friction angle is also improved, significantly enhancing the uniformity of reinforcement and a denser and stronger microscopic structure. This research demonstrates that MICP technology enhances the solidification effects and uniformity of uranium tailings, providing a novel approach to maintaining the safety and stability of uranium tailings dams.

• 자원환경지질
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• 제51권6호
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• pp.543-551
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• 2018

광역상수도의 이용이 어려운 농촌지역의 식수원으로 사용되고 있는 3,820개 마을상수도 지하수의 우라늄 함량을 분석하였다. 전체 마을상수도 지하수의 함량분포는 다수의 데이터가 낮은 농도 값의 범위에 치우쳐 있는 상태를 보였으며 최고 함량은 $1,757.0{\mu}g/L$, 평균 함량은 $6.46{\mu}g/L$, 중앙값은 $0.76{\mu}g/L$으로 나타났다. 3,820개 지하수의 우라늄 함량을 10개의 지질로 분류하면 3개 화강암지역 지하수의 우라늄 함량 중앙값이 높으며($0.99-2.05{\mu}g/L$), 퇴적암과 다공성화산암지역 지하수의 우라늄 함량 중앙값은 $0.04-0.50{\mu}g/L$으로 낮았다. 전체 마을상수도 지하수의 우라늄 함량이 USEPA의 기준치인 $30{\mu}g/L$를 초과하는 비율은 3.8%이나 쥬라기화강암과 선캠브리아기화강암지역의 초과율은 각각 8.5%, 7.5%나 되어 이 지역에서는 기존 마을상수도 지하수의 우라늄 관리와 함께 신규 마을상수도 지하수의 개발에 주의가 요구된다.

• 대한자원환경지질학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한자원환경지질학회 2003년도 춘계 학술발표회 논문집
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• pp.72-75
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• 2003

Plant species have shown the capability to absorb U into the biomass. Norman(l952) even suggested that uranyl ion acts as an accessory microelement in growth of Lemna and flax roots. The plants, termed metal hyperaccumulators, can extract and accumulate more than 1000-10,000mg heavy metal per kilogram of dry weight of plants (0.1-1%). The most vital main factors influencing the ability and efficiency of phytoremediation is the ability of the plant to uptake the metals from soil before the accumulation mechanism happens in the plant tissue. (omitted)

• 지질공학
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.535-550
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• 2014

지하수내 존재하고 있는 자연방사성물질인 우라늄과 라돈-222의 산출특성과 지화학적 기원을 알아보기 위해 괴산지역 연구부지내 120 m 깊이의 지하수 관정을 시추하여 심도별 시추코어의 암석화학적 특성과 지하수의 화학적 특성을 분석하였다. 시추코어 샘플 분석과 함께 더블패커시스템과 베일러를 이용하여 8개의 심도별 지하수 시료를 채취하여 지화학적 특성 분석을 수행하였다. 시추코어 분석결과, 주요 암종은 화강반암과 점판암이었으며 일부 구간에서는 탄산염암과 석회규산염암, 페그마타이트가 확인되었다. 심도별 지하수의 pH는 7.8~8.4의 범위이며, 화학적 유형은 Na-$HCO_3$형태를 보였다. 암석 및 광물 내 우라늄과 토륨의 함량은 각각 < 0.2~14.8 ppm과 0.56~45.0 ppm의 범위였으며, 암석현미경과 전자현미경(EPMA) 관찰 결과 자연방사성원소(우라늄) 함유 광물은 흑운모내 포획된 모나자이트 광물인 것으로 확인되었다. 우라늄은 이들 광물의 주요 구성원소를 치환하여 존재하는 것으로 보이며 파쇄대와 같은 주요 대수층 구간에서 용해되어 지하수와 함께 용출되는 것으로 보인다. 라돈-222의 함량은 우라늄의 함량과 어떠한 상관성을 보이지 않았으며 향후, 라돈가스 기원 추적을 위해서는 헬륨과 네온 등 영족기체 동위원소비를 이용한 간접적인 방법을 적용하여 분석할 필요가 있을 것으로 판단된다.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.67-73
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• 2011

Groundwaters were sampled from 730 wells being used for drinking purposes during 2007-2009. These samples were analysed using a gas-flow type GPC (Gas Proportional Counter) according to the USEPA method (900.0). We obtained a gross-alpha counting TDS (total dissolved solid) efficiency curve (Y = 0.0017X2 - 0.3122X + 19.165, X = TDS, Y = efficiency, $R^2$ = 0.9734) using natural uranium standard to get gross ${\alpha}$ value of the samples. The gross alpha values ranged from MDA (minimum detectable activity) to 14.88 pCi/L and 429 samples showed values higher than MDA (< 0.9 pCi/L). Correlations of the uranium values with the total alpha values and the gross-alpha values indicate that uranium values have high impacts on gross-alpha values. Groundwater samples of study areas were classified into four regions according to the rock types; plutonic (granite) rock region (427 areas), metamorphic rock region (181 aeras), sedimentary rock region (70 areas), volcanic rock region (52 areas). Groundwater of Cretaceous granite presented the highest gross-alpha value. Gross alpha in groundwaters showed no relationship with uranium in terms of the geological ages, rocks and minerals.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.221-226
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• 1979

우라늄광이 분포되어 있는 충청북도 괴산군 덕평리 일대의 26개 지점에서 토양 및 식물체를 채취하여 우라늄 함량을 정량하였다. 한편 이 지역에서 생산되는 농작물을 주식으로 하고 있는 주민들의 인체내 우라늄 누적량을 추정했다. 토양중 우라늄 함량은 $4.9ppm{\sim}43.6ppm$으로 평균 15.5ppm이었으며 이 값은 대조구로 조사된 경기도 양주군 금곡리와 이천군 준일리의 우라늄 함량보다 3배 정도 높았다. 식물체의 경우는 평균 0.69ppm으로 대조구보다 약 2배 많았다. 덕평리 마을의 성인 한 사람이 이곳의 농산들로부터 만들어진 음식물에서 섭취하는 일당 우라늄량은 $247{\mu}g$으로 추정되었으며 이 값은 $0.83{\times}10^{-4}\;uCi$의 방사능에 해당되며 뉴욕 시민의 $1.3{\mu}g$에 비해 훨씬 높았다. 그러나 체내에 누적되는 우라늄의 방사능량은 $2.03{\times}10^{-4}{\mu}Ci$으로 국제 방사선 방어협회가 보고한 최대 허용 체내 집적량 0.2uCi보다는 훨씬 낮은 값이었다.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.189-200
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• 2016

타지키스탄공화국에는 10군데의 우라늄광산 부지에 55백만톤의 우라늄광산 폐기물이 적치 되어 있는데 부지 면적이 200 핵 타아르에 달한다. 이에 따라 우라늄 폐광과 폐기물의 안전한 관리가 주요 이슈로 부각되고 있다. 부지 복원을 위한 천연방벽과 인공방벽으로 구성된 다중 복토층은 성능 목표와 부지 조건을 고려하여 설치되어야 한다. 본 논문의 목적은 Degmay 부지에 장기간 (100년 이상)의 환경보호를 제공할 수 있는 경제적인 다중 복토층 개념을 제시 하는 것이다. HELP 코드를 사용하여 Degmay 부지의 복토층 설계 개념의 평가를 수행하였다. 그 결과 70 cm의 덮개층, 30 cm의 배수층, 지오멤브레인 라이너 그리고 60 cm의 토양 방벽층으로 구성된 복토층 개념이 두께를 최소화 할 수 있고 비교된 여러 설계개념 중 가장 경제적인 설계 안으로 제시되었다.