애긴노린재는 긴노린재과에 속하며 한국을 포함한 동아시아 국가의 다양한 곡물 및 관상용 식물의 주요 해충으로 여겨진다. 본 연구에서는 애긴노린재의 17,367 bp 미토콘드리아 유전체에서 13개의 protein-coding genes, 22개의 transfer RNA genes, 2개의 ribosomal RNA genes 과 non-coding A+T rich region를 확인하였다. G+C content는 23%로 나타났고 다른 긴노린재과와의 염기서열 유사성이 N. cymoides (94.5%), N. fuscovittatus (91.7%)으로 높은 것을 발견하였다. 애긴노린재의 미토콘드리아 유전체 정보는 향후 긴노린재과의 진화 연구와 해충 방제를 위한 정보로 널리 사용될 수 있다.

Biomass-derived porous carbon is an excellent scientific and technologically interesting material for supercapacitor applications. In this study, we developed biomass-derived nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheets (BDPCNS) from cedar cone biomass using a simple KOH activation and pyrolysis method. The BDPCNS was effectively modified at different temperatures of 600 °C, 700 °C, and 800 ℃ under similar conditions. The as-prepared BDPCNS-700 electrode exhibited a high BET surface area of 2883 m2 g− 1 and a total pore volume of 1.26 cm3 g− 1. Additionally, BDPCNS-700 had the highest electrical conductivity (11.03 cm− 1) and highest N-doped content among the different electrode materials. The BDPCNS-700 electrode attained a specific capacitance of 290 F g− 1 at a current density of 1 A g− 1 in a 3 M KOH electrolyte and an excellent longterm electrochemical cycling stability of 93.4% over 1000 cycles. Moreover, the BDPCNS-700 electrode had an excellent energy density (40.27 Wh kg− 1) vs power density (208.19 W kg− 1). These findings indicate that BDPCNS with large surface areas are promising electrode materials for supercapacitors and energy storage systems.

In this study, we have fabricated the phenolic resin (PR)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) blend-derived core-sheath nanostructured carbon nanofibers (CNFs) via one-pot solution electrospinning. The obtained core-sheath nanostructured carbon nanofibers were further treated by mixed salt activation process to develop the activated porous CNFs (CNF-A). Compared to pure PAN-based CNFs, the activated PR/PAN blend with PR 20% (CNF28-A)-derived core-sheath nanostructured CNFs showed enhanced specific capacitance of ~ 223 F g− 1 under a three-electrode configuration. Besides, the assembled symmetric CNF28-A//CNF28-A device possessed a specific capacitance of 76.7 F g− 1 at a current density of 1 A g− 1 and exhibited good stability of 111% after 5,000 galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD) cycles, which verifies the outstanding long-term cycle stability of the device. Moreover, the fabricated supercapacitor device delivered an energy density of 8.63 Wh kg− 1 at a power density of 450 W kg− 1.

This study was performed to evaluate the separation of Sr, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, and Nd using gas pressurized extraction chromatography (GPEC) with anion exchange resin for the quantitation of Neodymium. GPEC is a micro-scaled column chromatography system that provides a constant flow rate by utilizing nitrogen gas. It is overcome the disadvantages of conventional column chromatography by reducing the volume of elution solvent and shortening the analysis time. Here, we compared the conventional column chromatography and the GPEC method. The whole analysis time was decreased by nine times and radioactive wastes were reduced by five times using the GPEC system. Anion exchange resin 1-X4 (200~400 mesh size) was used. The sample was prepared at a 0.8 M nitric acid in methanol solution. The elution solvent was used at a 0.01 M nitric acid in methanol solution. Finally the eluate was analyzed by ICP-MS to determine the identification and recovery. In this case, we applied the natural isotopes of LREEs (139La, 140Ce, and 144Nd) and high activity nuclides (88Sr, 133Cs, and 138Ba) instead of radioactive isotopes for the preliminary test; as a result, unnecessary radioactive waste was not produced. The recoveries were 93.9%, 105.9%, 91.9%, 47.6%, 35.9%, and 79.9% of Sr, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, and Nd, respectively. The reproducibility of recoveries by GPEC were in the range 2.8%–10.9%.

The density of molten salts is the most important property in the development of molten salt reactor (MSR). The density value measured through the experiment is also very valuable as a gold standard for the validation of the prediction models based on molecular dynamics or other computational methods. To the best of our knowledge, the experimental density data of the ternary NaCl-MgCl2- UCl3 salt system as a MSR candidate fuel salt have never been reported previously. In this study, density measurement experiment of high-temperature molten salt of NaCl-MgCl2 and NaCl-MgCl2- UCl3 was conducted using a previously-developed density measurement system based on the maximum bubble pressure (MPB) method. As a result of the experiment, the density value of 62NaCl- 18MgCl2-20UCl3 molten salt at 873 K was 2.62 g/cm3. A density prediction value of 2.65 g/cm3 at 873 K was derived from the obtained results based on the rule of additivity of molar volume method. The predictred density of 62NaCl-18MgCl2-20UCl3 was consistent with the experimental value within 1%. The density measuring system used in this study is promising for the validation of other multicomponent molten salt systems.

Viscosity of molten salts is an essential property for the thermal hydraulic design and evaluation of molten salt reactor (MSR). Therefore, viscosity data is one of the fundamental physical property data required for safe process operation and countermeasures to severe accidents. In this study, based on our experience of developing a viscosity measurement system for high-temperature LiCl-KCl molten salt system, the viscosity of NaCl-MgCl2 and NaCl-MgCl2-UCl3 molten salts, which are considered promising salts in MSR, was measured. In order to investigate the physical properties of uranium in high-temperature NaCl-MgCl2 molten salt, a viscometer system for high-temperature viscosity measurement was specially designed. As a result of the measurement, the viscosity of the 58NaCl- 42MgCl2 molten salt was 2.73 cP at 838 K, 2.15 cP at 889 K, and 1.68 cP at 940 K. And the viscosity of 73NaCl-21MgCl2-6UCl3 molten salt was 3.79 cP at 877 K, 3.58 cP at 897 K, and 1.63 cP at 941 K. The repeatability of the measurement showed a precision of less than 3%. Although sufficientlyverified starting materials were not used, viscosity data were reported for the first time for NaCl- MgCl2-UCl3 molten salts.

Molten salts have gained significant attention as a potential medium for heat transfer or energy storage and as liquid nuclear fuel, owing to their superior thermal properties. Various fluoride- and chloride-based salts are being explored as potential liquid fuels for several types of molten salt reactors (MSRs). Among these, chloride-based salts have recently received attention in MSR development due to their high solubility in actinides, which has the potential to increase fuel burnup and reduce nuclear water production. Accurate knowledge of the thermal physical properties of molten salts, such as density, viscosity, thermal conductivity, and heat capacity, is critical for the design, licensing, and operation of MSRs. Various experimental techniques have been used to determine the thermal properties of molten salts, and more recently, computational methods such as molecular dynamics simulations have also been utilized to predict these properties. However, information on the thermal physical properties of salts containing actinides is still limited and unreliable. In this study, we analyzed the available thermal physical property database of chloride salts to develop accurate models and simulations that can predict the behavior of molten salts under various operating conditions. Furthermore, we conducted experiments to improve our understanding of the behavior of molten salts. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the development of safer and more efficient MSRs.

Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen with a half-life of about 12.3 years, and it is commonly found in the environment as a result of the production of Nuclear Power Plants. The World Health Organization (WHO) has established guidelines for the permissible levels of tritium in drinking water. The guideline value for tritium in drinking water is 10,000 Bq/L. It is important to note that the guideline value for tritium is not a legal limit, but rather a recommendation. National and local authorities may establish legal limits that are more restrictive than the WHO guideline value based on local conditions and risk assessments. The Australia and Finland have set a limit for tritium in drinking water at 76,103 Bq/L and 30,000 Bq/L respectively, which is more than three to seven times higher compare to guideline value of WHO. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for tritium in drinking water at 20,000 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), which is equivalent to 740 Bq/L. The Health Canada has set a guideline value for tritium in drinking water at 7,000 Bq/L. Assuming drinking water corresponding to each tritium limit (or guideline value) for one year, the expected exposure dose is 0.01 mSv to 1 mSv. It means that the tritium in drinking water below the limits or guideline value does not pose a significant risk to human health.

Safety-related items in the decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) can largely consider safety for workers and residents. At this time, the effects of radioactive contamination on the Systems, Structures, and Components (SSCs) are caused by the performance of work related to Decontamination and Dismantlement (D&D) activities. Classification according to dismantling activities will be important, and the decay factor of radionuclides and the impact of contaminations due to plant characteristic (thermal and electrical capacity) in estimation of exposure dose from such activities will be considered compared to other overseas NPPs. Therefore, this study will consider some factors to consider for comparison with overseas cases in estimating worker exposure dose. To assess worker exposure doses, the classification of decommissioning activities must first be made. It should be classified including large components that can be generally considered, and the contents should be similar to compare with overseas cases. In case of decommissioned NPPs with prior experience, it is possible to predict worker’s exposure with respect to plant capacity, but this does not seem to have a specific correlation when reviewing the related data. Depending on the plant capacity, the occurrence of contamination of radioactive materials may have some correlation, but it cannot be determined that it has causality with the worker’s dose when dismantling. In addition, it is expected that the effects of workers’ exposure doses will vary depending on when the highly contaminated SSCs will be dismantled from permanent shut down. Therefore, the decay correlation coefficient for this high radiation dose works should be considered. If the high radiation dose work is performed before the base year, a correlation coefficient larger than 1 value will be applied, and in the opposite case, a value less than 1 will be applied. Whether or not to perform Full System Decontamination (FSD) is also an important consideration that affects worker dose, and correlation factors should be applied. In this study, the matters to be considered when estimating worker dose for dismantling NPPs were reviewed. This suggests factors to be reflected in the work classification and dose results for comparison with overseas NPP experiences. Therefore, when doing the workers’ dose estimation, it is necessary to derive a normalized doses considering each correlation factor when comparing with overseas cases along with dose estimation for the dismantling activities.

Detectors used for nuclear material safeguards activities are using scintillator detectors to quickly calculate the uranium enrichment at various nuclear material handling facilities. In order to measure the uranium enrichment, a region of interest is set around 185.7 keV which is the main gamma emission energy of uranium-235 in which the proportional relationship between the amount of uranium-235 and the net count is used. It is necessary to perform channel/energy calibration that a specific channel of the multi-channel analyzer is set to 185.7 keV. Most detector manufacturers have a built-in calibration source so that it is automatically performed when the detector starts to operate. In addition, the scintillator detector requires attention because the channel/energy gain may change depending on the ambient temperature so that a calibration source is used to compensate for this. In this paper, the spectral features are examined from among the scintillator detectors seeded with calibration sources used for safeguards activities. For this purpose, FLIR’s Identifinder-2 R400 T2 model and Canberra’s NAID model were used. HM-5 contains about 15nCi of Cs-137 and a photoelectric peak occurs at 662.1 keV. NAID contains about Am-241 of 55 nCi which alpha decays and subsequently emits gamma rays of 59.5 keV and 26.3 keV. The major difference among the detectors occurs in the background spectrum due to the difference in the source. From that kind of spectral features, it can be confirmed that the equipment is operating properly only when the spectrum by the corresponding calibration source is accurately known. The results of this study will enable a better understanding of the characteristics of scintillator detectors used for uranium enrichment analysis. Therefore, it is expected to be used as basic research for related software utilization as well as development in the future.

Since 2018, Central Research Institute of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP–CRI) has been operating an X-ray irradiation system with a maximum voltage of 160 kV and 320 kV X-ray tube to test personal dosimeters in accordance with ANSI N13.11-2009 “Personnel Dosimetry Performance- Criteria for Testing”. This standard requires that dosimeters for the photon category testing be irradiated with the X-ray beams appropriate to the ISO beam quality requirements. KHNP-CRI has implemented the fourteen X-ray reference radiation beams in compliance with ISO-4037-1, 2, and 3. When installing the X-ray irradiation system, KHNP-CRI evaluated the uncertainties of dose conversion coefficients for deep and shallow doses, based on “Catalogue of X-ray spectra and their characteristic data – ISO and DIN radiation qualities, therapy and diagnostic radiation qualities, unfiltered X-ray spectra” published by Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). A CdTe detector (X-123, AMPTEK) with disk type collimators made of tungsten was used to acquire X-ray spectra. The detector was located at 1 m from the center of the target material in the Xray tubes. Six uncertainty factors for the dose conversion coefficients for the fourteen X-ray beams were chosen as follows; the minimum and maximum cut-off energies Emin and Emax, the air density (ρ), the accuracy of the high-voltage of the X-ray tube, statistics of the pulse height spectra and the unfolding method. For example, uncertainty of each quantity for a HK30 beam was calculated to be 0.3%, 2.32%, 0.19%, 1.25%, and 0.13%, and 0.18%, respectively. The combined standard uncertainty for the deep dose conversion coefficient of the HK30 beam was calculated to be 2.67%. The coverage factor corresponding to a 95 percent confidence interval was obtained as k = 1.8 using a Monte Carlo method, which is slightly lower the coverage factor of k = 1.95 for a Gaussian distribution. This seems to result from that two dominant uncertainties, the unfolding uncertainty and minimum cut-off energy uncertainty, follow a rectangular distribution.

Natural radionuclides-containing substances (NORM) contain natural radionuclides and cause radiation exposure. In Korea, safety management measures were needed to deal with and dispose of radon mattresses containing monazite in relation to such NORM. However, there is no clear safety management system related to NORM waste in Korea. In order to manage this reasonably and systematically, it is necessary to investigate and analyze standards and management measures related to the treatment and disposal of NORM waste. Therefore, this study investigated and analyzed the exemption and clearance level of NORM waste regulations in international organizations and foreign countries. IAEA GSR Part 3, 2013/59/Euratom, ANSI/HPS N13.53, CRCPD SSRCR Part N, and ARPANSA Publications 15 safety management regulations were analyzed to investigate safety management standards for NORM waste. The exemption and clearance level in international organizations and foreign countries were compared and analyzed based on radioactive concentration and dose. In addition, the management measures proposed for each literature were also investigated. As a result of the analysis, IAEA GSR Part 3 applied 1 mSv as a regulatory exemption level, 1 Bq/g for uranium and thorium series as a clearance level, and 10 Bq/g for K-40 nuclides. The IAEA recommends a differential approach to the potential and scale of exposure. The EU applied 1 Bq/g to uranium and thorium families and 10 Bq/g to K-40 nuclides for both regulatory exemption and clearance levels. The EU recommended that it be managed in proportion to the scale and likelihood of exposure as a result of the action. It is analyzed that this is similar to the IAEA’s management plan. In the United States, there was no single federal government radioactive concentration and dose for NORM management. The management plan differed in management status and level from state to state, and K-40 was excluded from regulation unless it was intentionally enriched. In the case of Australia, the radioactive concentration of uranium and thorium was 1 Bq/g as a standard for regulatory exemption and 1 mSv as a dose. As a management plan, it was suggested to dispose of waste by means of accumulation, dilution/dispersion, and reclamation. It was also suggested that the scale of exposure, like international organizations, take into account the possibility. The results of this study are believed to be used as basic data for presenting domestic NORM waste treatment and disposal methods in the future.

As nuclear power plants are operated in Korea, low and intermediate-level radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuels are continuously generated. Due to the increase in the amount of radioactive waste generated, the demand for transportation of radioactive wastes in Korea is increasing. This can have radiological effect for public and worker, risk assessment for radioactive waste transportation should be preceded. Especially, if the radionuclides release in the ocean because of ship sinking accident, it can cause internal exposure by ingestion of aquatic foods. Thus, it is necessary to analyze process of internal exposure due to ingestion. The object of this study is to analyze internal exposure by ingestion of aquatic foods. In this study, we analyzed the process and the evaluation methodology of internal exposure caused by aquatic foods ingestion in MARINRAD, a risk assessment code for marine transport sinking accidents developed by the Sandia National Laboratory (SNL). To calculate the ingestion internal exposure dose, the ingestion concentrations of radionuclides caused by the food chain are calculated first. For this purpose, MARINRAD divide the food chain into three stages; prey, primary predator, and secondary predator. Marine species in each food chain are not specific but general to accommodate a wide variety of global consumer groups. The ingestion concentrations of radionuclides are expressed as an ingestion concentration factors. In the case of prey, the ingestion concentration factors apply the value derived from biological experiments. The predator's ingestion concentration factors are calculated by considering factors such as fraction of nuclide absorbed in gut, ingestion rate, etc. When calculating the ingestion internal exposure dose, the previously calculated ingestion concentration factor, consumption of aquatic food, and dose conversion factor for ingestion are considered. MARINRAD assume that humans consume all marine species presented in the food chain. Marine species consumption is assumed approximate and conservative values for generality. In the internal exposure evaluation by aquatic foods ingestion in this study, the ingestion concetration factor considering the food chain, the fraction of nuclide absorbed in predator’s gut, ingestion rate of predator, etc. were considered as influencing factors. In order to evaluate the risk of maritime transportation reflecting domestic characteristics, factors such as domestic food chains and ingestion rate should be considered. The result of this study can be used as basis for risk assessment for maritime transportation in Korea.

At Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), aging management is performed as part of the Periodic Safety Review (PSR) in accordance with the Nuclear Safety Act. The purpose of the aging management program (AMP) is to manage the integrity of structures, systems and components (SSCs) in NPPs over time and use. Through this, aging deterioration is mitigated to increase equipment life and secure long-term operation safety. Fuel Oil Chemistry is one of the AMPs. Through this program, aging management is performed for storage tanks, piping and other metal components that contact with diesel fuel oil. The program is focused on managing loss of material due to general, pitting, crevice, and microbiologically-influenced corrosion (MIC) and fouling that leads to corrosion of the diesel fuel tank internal surfaces. The fuel oil aging management method currently applied to NPPs in Korea measures the concentration of water and particulate contamination in the oil, analyzed the trend, and periodically cleans and inspect the inside of tanks. Among them, in monitoring MIC, a direct analysis and monitoring of the amount of microorganisms may be more effective. In this study, a method for improving the MIC monitoring system for diesel fuel oil systems was reviewed by reviewing reference documents including NUREG 1801 and examining the methods actually applied in US NPPs.

As a result of various generation, transmutation, and decay schemes, a wide variety of radionuclides exist in the reactor prior to accident occurrence. Considering all of the radionuclides as the accident source term in an offsite consequence analysis will inevitably take up excessive computer resources and time. Calculation time can be reduced with minimal impact on the accuracy of the results by considering only the nuclides that have a significant effect on the calculation among the potential radioactive sources that may be released into the environment. In earlier studies related to offsite consequence analysis, it is shown that the principal criteria for the radionuclide screening applied are as follows; radionuclide inventory in the reactor, radioactive half-life, radionuclide release fraction to the environment, relative dose contribution of nuclides within a specific group, and radiobiological importance. As a result, it is confirmed that 54, 60, and 69 nuclides are applied to the risk assessment performed in WASH-1400, NUREG-1150, and SOARCA (State-of-the-Art Reactor Consequence Analyses) project in the United States, respectively. In addition, in this study, the technical consultations with domestic and foreign experts were carried out to confirm details on criteria and process for screening out radionuclides in offsite consequence analysis. In this paper, based on the literature survey and technical consulting, we derived the screening process of selecting a list of radionuclides to be considered in the offsite consequence analysis. The first step is to eliminate radionuclides with little core inventory (less than specific threshold) or very short half-lives. However, important decay products of radionuclides that have short half-lives should not be excluded by this process. The next step is to further eliminate radionuclides by considering contribution to offsite impact, which is defined as a product of radioactivity released to the environment (i.e. ‘inventory in the reactor’ times ‘release fraction to offsite’) and comprehensive dose (or risk) coefficient taking into account all exposure pathways to be included. The final step is to delete isotopes that contribute less than certain threshold to any important dose metric through additional computer runs for each important source term. Even though it is presumed that this process is applicable to existing light water reactors and the set of accidents that would be considered in PSA, some of the assumptions or specific recommendations may need to be reconsidered for other reactor types or set of accident categories.

Around the world, Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) have been operated since the 1950s and are used as a major power source. In Korea, Kori unit 1 stared commercial operation for the first time in 1978, and as of 2023, 25 units of NPPs are in operation. NPPs produce electricity for about 40 to 60 years after receiving an operating license, and after securing safety through a safety evaluation, the operating period is extended. NPPs that operate for a long time are systematically evaluated for safety at regular intervals through Periodic Safety Review (PSR) recommended by the IAEA. In Korea, PSR has been introduced and performed since 2000. This study reviewed the process of the PSR by comparing with the international PSR procedure. The PSR process is established through the IAEA SSG-25 document and proceeds in the order of establishment of basis document - individual factor evaluation - global assessment - integrated improvement plan. In Korea, PSR is carried out in a similar process, but there are some differences from the IAEA’s procedure. The safety factor review is conducted under the agreement of basis document between the licensee and the regulatory body, but the prior agreement procedure with the regulatory body is not reflected in Korea. As a result, if the licensee and the regulatory body have different opinions on the current licensing basis and the modern safety standards after the evaluation is performed, a difference may occur in the review results and safety enhancement items, which may lead to inefficient PSR progress. PSR is conducted for the continuous safe operation and management of NPPs, and it is important to refer to overseas standards and cases. Although procedures, guidelines, and regulatory requirements are in place in Korea, continuous review and improvement are required. It is necessary to improve procedures such as basis document and global assessment in order to more efficiently carry out PSR evaluation by regulatory agency and licensee’s safety enhancement actions of domestic NPPs

Among domestic Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs), there are a total of 10 nuclear power plants whose operating license expires by 2030, excluding Kori unit 1 and Wolsong unit 1, which are permanently shut downed. Continued operation of these nuclear power plants is being reviewed as a government task. For continued operation, nuclear power plant owners must prepare periodic safety review and other evaluation reports to receive reviews to maintain safety even during continued operation. In the safety evaluation of NPP, it is important to refer to overseas cases and operation experiences. In this study, the matters of radioactive waste management for continued operation of NPP was considered by analyzing the safety evaluation reports and safety enhancements of license renewal of NPP in USA, Radioactive waste generated from NPPs can be classified into solid, liquid, and gaseous states. Radioactive waste generated during the operation and maintenance of power plants is classified, stored and treated in the radioactive waste management system according to the source. Equipment and monitors related to radioactive waste management are continuously operated, managed, inspected according to standards and maintain their original functions. Various activities to reduce the generation and emission of radioactive waste from NPPs are performed. After reviewing the NRC’s safety evaluation report on the application documents for license renewal of US NPPs (Sequoyah, Byron and braidwood) the evaluation details and matters requiring enhancement for the radioactive waste management system were confirmed. As a major check, selective leaching occurred in the body of the gray cast iron valve and the heat exchanger shell containing the copper alloy exposed to the radioactive waste liquid. Selective leaching causes loss of material and may interfere with the original function of the facility, so management is required. For the safe operation and management of NPPs, it is important to refer to overseas cases and experiences. Among the safety evaluations for the continued operation of domestic NPPs, in the field of the radioactive waste management system, if the case of the US NPP is referred to, the review by the regulatory body and the action taken by the licensee will be more efficient.