• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.159-166
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was examine via a survey the knowledge related to radiation safety management (RSM) among radiation workers who operated or used a radiation generator or radioactive isotopes (radioactive isotopes, etc. hereinafter) for industrial use and to systematically analyze the changes in the survey results in order to promote a radiation safety culture for facilities where radiation is used. We administered a questionnaire to 861 radiation workers in the period from August 1 to September 5, 2011. As for the analysis method, a frequency analysis was made for the general characteristics and organization information of survey respondents, while the average and standard deviation were calculated and compared for the knowledge level of the RSM. According to the analysis results, the knowledge level of the RSM was evaluated to be high in all of the radiation workers. In conclusion, it is required to conduct a study on various factors in regards to the RSM among radiation workers. This can contribute to establishing educational programs in a timely manner to increase the awareness of safe and efficient use of radioactive materials and equipments by radiation workers.

• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 2018

Molecular imaging refers to detect the biochemical process in living organisms at the cellular and molecular levels and to quantify them. Due to several advantages of nanomaterials, various molecular images using nanomaterials are being tried. Attempts have been made to combine nanoparticles, known as micro- or nanosized nanomaterials, with radioactive isotopes for molecular imaging probe. The radiolabeled nanoparticles will expend the molecular imaging due to nanoparticle's size-dependent nature. In particular, iron oxide nanoparticles can be used for magnetic resonance imaging, can be adjusted in size, easily functionalized, and biocompatible, making it a very good platform for molecular imaging. In addition, iron oxide nanoparticles may be the best example for a new approach to molecular imaging techniques. In this paper, we introduce various methods for preparation of iron oxide nanoparticle combined with radioisotope starting from various synthesis methods of iron oxide nanoparticles to utilize iron oxide nanoparticles as a platform for molecular imaging through radioactive labeling.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.1535-1540
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• 2022

A solid tungsten target was used at the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) with 100 kW proton beam power. To improve the lifetime, hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process was selected to bond tantalum cladding with tungsten plates. Radioactive isotope ¹⁸²Ta, an activation product of tantalum, was found in the cooling water after a period of operation, however, no radioactive isotopes of ¹⁸⁷W was found, which shows the tantalum layer remained mostly intact. The CSNS Target-1 had been operating safely for three years and was replaced by Target-2 in August 2020.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.20-23
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• 2006

Geothermal energy is the natural heat of the Earth. Enormous amounts of thermal energy are continuously generated by the decay of radioactive isotopes of underground rocks and stored in the Earth's interior. Therefore, geothermal energy is one of the most important sustainable energy resources. Recent trends of geothermal energy exploitation technologies focus on the Earth scientific approach to geothermal heat pump system, enhanced geothermal system, aquifer thermal energy storage, underground thermal energy storage, and fluid/heat flow model ing for geothermal wells. Geothermal heat pump distribution in Korea is still in its starting phase in terms of areal utilization sense, we, however, expect to come up with national supply of over 1,000,000 toe by 2020

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2014

The demand of cyclotron for PET (positron emission tomography) has rapidly grown as the more use of PET or PET-CT equipment requires the increased amount of radioactive isotopes for clinical positron emission. While research on failure statistics of medical equipment used in medical centers has continued to be done, the analysis and study on failure statistics of cyclotron have rarely been conducted. However, the growing demand shows the urgency of systematical management guideline and countermeasures for device failure to minimize any supply delay of radiopharmaceuticals occurred by such failure and complains from waiting patients for PET-CT diagnosis. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the failure report from Minitrace equipped in cyclotron which is owned by the department of nuclear medicine at Yeungnam University Medical Center and draws on the data to build effective management system for cyclotron.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.167-174
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• 2009

A comprehensive analysis has been conducted on the purity of the uranium product generated from a pyroprocessing of EBR-II spent fuel. The analysis results were compared to the low-level waste criteria for both ROK and USA under a collaborative program between INL and KAERI. It is found that the US LLW definition does not include the activity from any U isotopes, but the Korean one does. The analysis results show that Pu-239 is the only alpha emitting isotope other than U isotopes that exceed the limit in the EBR-II U product. Pu contamination of the product seems to be drastically reduced in a preliminary test of the modified cathode process, and the further development of the proposed technology may be possible to meet the US LLW criteria.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.291-299
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• 2001

A method of separation and purification of Sm for quantitation of Sm isotopes from various fission products in PWR spent nuclear fuels has been studied. Simulated solution containing inactive metal ions(Cs, Ba, Gd, Eu, Sm and Nd) in place of radioactive fission products was prepared. Sm was separated with 0.5 M $HNO_3$/80% MeOH after washing with 1 M $HNO_3$/90% MeOH on AG $1{\times}8$, anion exchange resin. Sm was purified on cation exchange resin, AG $50W{\times}8$, pretreated with 0.2 M alpha-hydroxisobutyric acid(pH 4.5-4.6) to remove Ba causing isobaric effect Sm from PWR spent fuel. As a result of mass spectrometric measurement, eluted Sm portion did not include isobars form other elements such as Gd, Eu, Pm, Nd and BaO. The contents of Sm and its isotopes($^{147}Sm$, $^{148}Sm$, $^{149}Sm$, $^{150}Sm$, $^{151}Sm$, $^{152}Sm$ and $^{154}Sm$) in spent fuel were determined by isotope dilution mass spectrometric method spiking $^{154}Sm$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.335-341
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• 2017

Cyclotron is a device that accelerates positrons or neutrons, and is used as a facility for making radioactive drugs having short half-lives. Such radioactive drugs are used for positron emission tomography (PET), which is a medical apparatus. In order to make radioactive drugs from a cyclotron, a nuclear reaction must occur between accelerated positrons and a target. After the reaction, unncessary neutrons are produced. In the present study, radioactivation generated from the collisions between the concrete shielding wall and the positrons and neutrons produced from the cyclotron is investigated. We tracked radioactivated radioactive isotopes by conducting experiments using FLUKA, a type of Monte Carlo simulation. The properties of the concrete shielding wall were comparatively analyzed using materials containing impurities at ppm level and materials that do not contain impurities. The generated radioactivated nuclear species were comparatively analyzed based on the exposure dose affecting human body as a criterion, through RESRAD-Build. The results of experiments showed that the material containing impurities produced a total of 14 radioactive isotopes, and $^{60}Co$(72.50%), $^{134}Cs$(16.75%), $^{54}Mn$(5.60%), $^{152}Eu$(4.08%), $^{154}Eu$(1.07%) accounted for 99.9% of the total dose according to the analysis having the exposure dose affecting human body as criterion. The $^{60}Co$ nuclear species showed the greatest risk of radiation exposure. The material that did not contain impurities produced a total of five nuclear species. Among the five nuclear species, 54Mn accounted for 99.9% of the exposure dose. There is a possibility that Cobalt can be generated by inducive nuclear reaction of positrons through the radioactivation process of $^{56}Fe$ instead of impurities. However, there was no radioactivation because only few positrons reached the concrete wall. The results of comparative analysis on exposure dose with respect to the presence of impurities indicated that the presence of impurities caused approximately 98% higher exposure dose. From this result, the main cause of radioactivation was identified as the small ppm-level amount of impurities.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.123-131
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• 2009

Purpose: We tested a sample of nuclear medicine workers at Korean healthcare institutions for internal contamination with radioactive isotopes, measuring concentrations and evaluating doses of individual exposure. Materials and Methods: The detection and measurement was performed on urine samples collected from 25 nuclear medicine workers at three large hospitals located in Seoul. Urine samples were collected once a week, 100~200 mL samples were gathered up to 6~10 times weekly. A high-purity germanium detector was used to measure gamma radiations in urine samples for the presence of radioactive isotopes. Based on the detection results, we estimated the amounts of intake and committed effective doses using IMBA software. In cases where committed effective doses could not be adequately evaluated with IMBA software, we estimated individual committed effective doses for radionuclides with a very short half life such as $^{99m}Tc$ and $^{123}I$, using the methods recommended by International Atomic Energy Agency. Results: Radionuclides detected through the analysis of urine samples included $^{99m}Tc$, $^{123}I$, $^{131}I$ and $^{201}Tl$, as well as $^{18}F$, a nuclide used in Positron Emission Tomography examinations. The committed effective doses, calculated based on the radionuclide concentrations in urine samples, ranged from 0 to 5 mSv, but were, in the majority of cases, less than 1 mSv. The committed effective dose exceeded 1 mSv in three of the samples, and all three were workers directly handling radioactive sources. No nurses were found to have a committed effective dose in excess of 1 mSv. Conclusions: To improve the accuracy of results, it may be necessary to conduct a long-term study, performed over a time span wide enough to allow the clear determination of the influence of seasonal factors. A larger sample should also help increase the reliability of results. However, as most Korean nuclear medicine workers are currently not necessary to monitored routinely for internal contamination with radionuclides. Notwithstanding, a continuous effort is recommended to reduce any unnecessary exposure to radioactive substances, even if in inconsequential amounts, by regularly surveying workplace environments and frequently monitoring atmospheric concentrations of radionuclides.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2013

Currently, commercially available phantom can reproduce and evaluate only a static situation, the study is incomplete research on phantom and system which is can confirmed functional situation in the kidney by time through dynamic phantom and blood flow velocity, various difference according to the amount of radioactive. Therefore, through this study, it has produced the dynamic kidney phantom to reproduce images through the dynamic flow of the kidney, it desires to evaluate the usefulness of nuclear medicine imaging. The production of the kidney phantom was fabricated based on the normal adult kidney, in order to reproduce the dynamic situation based on the fabricated kidney phantom, in this study, it was applied the volume pump that can adjust the speed of blood flow, so it can be integrated continuously radioactive isotopes in the kidney by using $^{99m}Tc$-pertechnate. Used the radioactive isotope was supplied through the two pump. It was confirmed the changes according to the infusion rate, radioactive isotopes and the different injection speeds on the left and right, analysis of the acquired images was done by drawn five times ROI in order to check the reproducibility of each on the front and rear of the kidney and bladder. Depending on the speed of injection, radioisotope was a lot of integrated and emissions up when adjusting the pressure of the pump as 30 stroke, it was the least integrated and emissions up when adjusting as 40 stroke. The integration of the left & right kidney was not reached in the amount of the highest when adjusting as 10 stroke. In the changes according to the amount of the radioactive isotope, 0.6 mCi(22.2 MBq), 0.8 mCi (29.6 MBq)was showed up similar tendency but, in the result of the different injection 0.8 mCi, it was showed up counts close to double of 0.6 mCi. In the result of the differently injection speed of the left & right kidney, as a result of different conditions that injection speed was 20 stroke through left kidney phantom, the injection speed was 30 stroke through right kidney phantom, it was enough difference in the resulting image can be easily distinguished with the naked eye. Through this study, the results showed that the dynamic kidney phantom system is able to similarly reproduce renogram in the actual clinical practice. Especially, the depicted over time for the flow to be excreted through the kidney into the bladder was adequately reproduce, it is expected to be utilized as basic data to check the quality of the dynamic images. In addition, it is considered to help in the field of functional imaging and quality control.