• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.137-149
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• 1973

A method of activation analysis, based on the irradiation and counting of an iron wire which contains manganese impurity as the single comparator. has been elaborated by critical evaluation of nuclear data involved in activation and activity measurement. The variation of effective cross section is investigated as a function of the spectral index and other parameters such as a measure of the proportion of epithermal neutrons in the reactor spectrum. The errors induced by shifts in the neutron spectrum in the irradiation positions are discussed. The known amount of each element is irradiated simultaneously together with the single comparator, and the obtained values are compared with the known amount of each element. The results show that en general the random errors are not greater than those obtained by using the conventional relative method, but the systematic errors were up to about 20%. This method is applied to the determinations of fourteen rare earth elements in monazite as well as other seven elements in the standard kale powder. The satisfactory reproducibility of the present method makes possible the determination of the elements with an accuracy attainable with the conventional relative method.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.476-485
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• 2001

Both concave and convex roof-end tiles having same style and shape are excavated in Yongjangsung castle at Jindo and Burnhwasa temple at Wando in Jeollanam-Do that are the Sambyulcho's resistance sites against Mongolia in the late Koryo dynasty. Obtained data by NAA have been used to classify the equality of a raw materials' porvenance by multiple correlation analysis(MCA) and discriminant analysis. The results of MCA has shown that there are very high correlation for [La : Sm], and [Lu : Yb]. Exactly pottery site at Chungdo, roof tile site at Chungyang, Yongjangsung castle and Bumhwasa temple and Chunghaejin site at Jangdo were distributed for four trace elements, Cr, Sc, ${\Delta}$(${\Sigma}$(Lu, Yb)) and Eu by discriminant analysis, and their accuracy is above 95%. This means that Yongjangsung castle and Bumhwasa temple have same raw material's provenance.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.8
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• pp.459-467
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• 2016

In order to assess the pollution status and distribution characteristics of PM and PM-bound species, PM10 samples were collected using mini-volume air sampler at the subway cabin in Daejeon city. Measurements of about 24 elements including toxic metals (e.g., As, Cr, Mn, V, Zn) in PM10 were made by instrumental neutron activation analysis and X-ray fluorescence. The average PM10 concentration was $59.3{\pm}14.5{\mu}g/m^3$ in the subway cabin with a range of 42.2 to $97.4{\mu}g/m^3$, while the associated elemental concentrations were varied in the range of $10^{-3}$ to $10^5ng/m^3$. It was found that the concentration of Fe ($12.5{\mu}g/m^3$) was substantially higher than any other element. The Fe concentration was apportioned by about 20% of the PM10 concentration. The results of factor analysis indicate that there are no more than six sources in the cabin (e.g., brake-nonferrous metal particle, resuspended rail dust, fuel combustion, vehicle exhaust, black carbon, Cr-related).

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.358-367
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• 2003

In this research, first of all, the analytical methods for the determination of major elements in sediment have been developed with ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry). The analytical results of major elements (Al, Ca, K, Fe, Mg) with Cool ICP-MS were much better than those with normal ICP-MS. The analytical results were compared with those of NAA (Neutron Activation Analysis). NAA were a little superior to ICP-MS for the determination of major elements in sediment as a non-destructive trace analytical method. The analytical methods for the determination of minor elements (Cr, Ce, U, Co, Pb, As, Se) have been also developed with ICP-MS. The analytical results by standard calibration curve with ICP-MS were not accurate due to the matrix interferences. Thus, the internal standard method was applied, then the analytical results for minor elements with ICP-MS were greatly improved. The analytical results obtained by ICP-MS were compared with those obtained by NAA. It showed that the two analytical methods have great capabilities for the determination of minor elements in sediments. Accordingly, the NAA will play an important role in analysis of environment sample with complex matrix. ICP-MS also will play an important role because it has a great capability for the determination of Pb that could not be determined by NAA.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.418-425
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• 2003

Inorganic elemental content of bottom ash generated from municipal solid waste incinerator was determined by neutron activation analysis. Bottom ash samples were collected monthly from incinerator located in city D, strained out by the 5 mm sieve, dried by oven and pulverized by agate mortar. The samples were irradiated at NAA #1 irradiation hole in HANARO research reactor of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and the irradiated samples were measured by HPGe-gamma-ray spectrometer. From the activity of measured nuclides, 33 elements including As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Sb and Zn were determined applying activity creation formula and nuclear data. The quality control was conducted by simultaneous analysis with NIST standard reference materials.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 1986

A single comparator method with its accuracy has been studied for determining multielement by reactor neutron activation analysis. Spectral index at the irradiation position of each sample was determined using two flux monitors of Au and Co, one of which was used as a single comparator. The uncertainties of nuclear data related to the method were investigated for 18 elements and the error of the analytical result due to the uncertainties of nuclear data related is found to be less than 6%. The analytical results of 4 USGS reference samples agree well within 15% deviation with the results evaluated by USGS.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.11
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• pp.4231-4235
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• 2022

Considering the importance of deuterium in nuclear science including medical and industrial researches such as (BNCT) and nuclear reactors respectively, it is important to study various possible ways in addition to common methods for measuring its concentration. This study is an effort to measure deuterium concentration using PGNAA. The main idea is to calculate the area under 2.23 MeV gamma-rays photo peak resulting from neutron collision with Hydrogen atoms which are in mix with deuterium in samples. The study carried out by both simulation and experiment. Monte Carlo MCNPX2.6 code has been used for simulation and based on its acceptable results an experimental setup has been arranged. The coordination of results was in the range of R = 0.99 and R = 0.98 in simulation and experiment respectively. The accuracy of the study has been investigated by measuring the concentration of an unknown sample by both PGNAA and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) methods in which there were acceptable correlation between these two methods.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.178-186
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• 2020

Background: Reactor pressure vessel (RV) with internals (RVI) are activated structures by neutron irradiation and volume contaminated wastes. Thus, to develop safe and optimized disposal plan for them at a disposal site, it is important to perform exact activation calculation and evaluate the dose rate on the surface of casks which contain cut-off pieces. Materials and Methods: RV and RVI are subjected to neutron activation calculation via Monte Carlo methodology with MCNP6 and ORIGEN-S program-neutron flux, isotopic specific activity, and gamma spectrum calculation on each component of RV and RVI, and dose rate evaluation with MCNP6. Results and Discussion: Through neutron activation analysis, dose rate is evaluated for the casks containing cut-off pieces produced from decommissioned RV and RVI. For RV cut-off ones, the highest value of dose rate on the surface of cask is 6.97 × 10-1 mSv/hr and 2 m from it is 3.03 × 10-2 mSv/hr. For RVI cut-off ones, on the surface of it is 0.166 × 10-1 mSv/hr and 2 m from it is 1.04 × 10-1 mSv/hr. Dose rates for various RV and RVI cut-off pieces distributed lower than the limit except the one of 2 m from the cask surface of RVI. It needs to adjust contents in cask which carries highly radioactive components in order to decrease thickness of cask. Conclusion: Two types of casks are considered in this paper: box type for very-low-level waste (VLLW) as well as low-level waste (LLW) and cylinder type for intermediate-level waste (ILW). The results will contribute to the development of optimal loading plans for RV and RVI cut-off pieces during the decommissioning of nuclear power plant that can be used to prepare radioactive waste disposal plans for the different types of wastes-ILW, LLW, and VLLW.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.161-163
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• 2002

The BNCT(Boron Neutron Capture Therapy) facility has been developed in Hanaro(High-flux Advanced Neutron Application Reactor), a research reactor of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. A typical tangenial beam port is utilized with this BNCT facility. Thermal neutrons can be penetrated within the limits of the possible maximum instead of being filtered fast neutrons and gamma rays as much as possible using the silicon and bismuth single crystals. In addition to, the liquid nitrogen (LN$_2$) is used to cool down the silicon and bismuth single crystals for the increase of the penetrated thermal neutron flux. Neutron beams for BNCT are shielded using the water shutter. The water shutter was designed and manufactured not to interfere with any other subsystem of Hanaro when the BNCT facility is operated. Also, it is replaced with conventional beam port plug in order to cut off helium gas leakage in the beam port. A circular collimator, composed of $\^$6/Li$_2$CO$_3$ and polyethylene compounds, is installed at the irradiation position. The measured neutron flux with 24 MW reactor power using the Au-198 activation analysis method is 8.3${\times}$10$\^$8/ n/cm$^2$ s at the collimator, exit point of neutron beams. Flatness of neutron beams is proven to ${\pm}$ 6.8% at 97 mm collimator. According to the result of acceptance tests of the water shutter, the filling time of water is about 190 seconds and drainage time of it is about 270 seconds. The radiation leakages in the irradiation room are analyzed to near the background level for neutron and 12 mSv/hr in the maximum for gamma by using BF$_3$ proportional counter and GM counter respectively. Therefore, it is verified that the neutron beams from BNCT facility in Hanaro will be enough to utilize for the purpose of clinical and pre-clinical experiment.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.131-139
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• 2001

There is personal difference in the concentrations of trace elements in human hair according to human life or history suck as occupation, race, sex, age, food habit, social condition and so on. It is also found that the individual's deviation of elemental concentrations is reflecting the degree of environmental pollutants exposure to human body, intakes of food and metabolism. To compare the degree of accumulation in the hair tissue, human hair samples were collected from five positions of head and analyzed by non-destructive neutron activation analysis with and without washing according to IAEA's recommended method. Analytical quality control is performed using the certified reference material. The relative error of Cu, Cr, Na, Co, Mg, As, Se, Zn and those of Mn, Ca, Fe, Sr are within ${\pm}5%$ and ${\pm}10%$, respectively and the relative standard deviation of elements are within ${\pm}10%$. The deviations between the individuals and hair sampling positions were estimated. The deviation of individual was seven times more than that of positions. Under the defined condition, the difference and the correlation of elemental concentrations were compared with two different groups, office and factory workers. The result can be used as a fundamental data for human health and environment assessment.