Heavy water (deuterium oxide, D2O) is water in which hydrogen atoms (1H, H), one of the constituent elements of water molecules, have been replaced with deuterium (2H, D), a heavier isotope. Heavy water is used in a variety of industries, including semiconductors, nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, neutron deceleration, neutrino detection, metabolic rate studies, neutron capture therapy, and the production of radioactive materials such as plutonium and tritium. In particular, heavy water is used as a neutron moderator or coolant in nuclear reactors and as a fuel for nuclear fusion energy, methods for measuring heavy water are becoming increasingly important. There are methods with density, mass spectrometry, and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. In this study, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used, which is commonly used in IR spectroscopy because of its relatively high analytical sensitivity, low operating costs, and easy online analysis. Heavy water was identified in the range of 2,300-2,600 cm-1 wavenumber (O-D) and the range of 1,200-1,300 cm-1 wavenumber (D-O-D), which are known to be the range with strong infrared absorption. As a result, the linearity of infrared absorbance for each heavy water concentration was confirmed within the relative expansion uncertainty (k=2).

Noble metal phase, present in used fuel, are fission products that can be found as metallic precipitates in used nuclear fuel. They exist as small particles (nm~um) in grain boundaries of the used fuels. Since they are particles deposited between the grain structures, they can be considered as defects in the pellet structure. Thermal expansion of fuels with noble metal is slightly higher than that of bare fuels. The fuels at high temperature, such as immediately after being discharged from nuclear reactors, may be subject to fuel failure if sufficient cooling is not provided. Recent research has shown that the noble metals can migrate into the rim space between the pellet and the cladding, and be deposited in the inner layer of the claddings. therefore, the mechanical integrity of the cladding can be degraded by noble metals, as well as the pellets. The concentration of the noble metal phase should be considered to evaluate the effect of the noble metals on the fuel integrity, after discharge from the reactors. SCALE/ORIGEN code was used to evaluate the noble metals in fuel assembly-scale, and the radial distribution in the fuel assembly. The radial distribution of the reactor power was derived from the SCALE/TRITON, considering Westinghouse 17×17. Square cell model was chosen for the geometry and 1/4 model was applied to reduce the computation time.

Within the air purification system of a nuclear power plant, specific radioactive isotopes are extracted from gases through adsorption onto activated carbon. To properly dispose of used activated carbon, it is essential to determine the concentration of radioactive nuclides within it. This study discusses the application of the pyrolysis method for analyzing the concentrations of 3H and 14C in spent activated carbon. The pyrolysis was conducted using Raddec’s Pyrolyser, with adjustments made to parameters such as temperature profiles, airflow rates, sample quantities, and trapping solution volumes. The evaluation method for the pyrolysis of activated carbon to analyze 3H and 14C involved adding 3H and 14C sources to the activated carbon before use and subsequently assessing the recovery rates of the added sources in comparison to the analysis results.

Most of the C-14 produced is in the organic form, generated as methane (14CH4), methanol (14CH3OH), formaldehyde (14CH2O), and formic acid (14CO2H2). When analyzing C-14, it is transformed into the form of 14CO2, and its concentration is determined using LSC. Typical examples include the wet oxidation method, the combustion or Pyrolysis. The wet oxidation method uses strong acids and involves repeated operations, which generates large amounts of acid waste and secondary radioactive waste. The combustion method uses high temperatures, which requires an oxygen device. Pyrolysis also requires high temperature in a vacuum and catalysts. Catalysts are expensive because they are platinum-based. To compensate for these shortcomings, a C-14 analysis method using UV irradiation was developed. In this study, 100 mL of distilled water mixed with formic acid (CO2H2), potassium persulfate (K2S2O8), and silver nitrate (AgNO3) was irradiated with a 320-390 nm UV lamp to conduct a CO2 production reaction experiment. The UV range was measured using a photometer (UV Power puck II). The beaker was made of quartz in 150 mL size with three inlets : a temperature measurement, a sample inlet, and a collection tube connector. We changed the UV lamp used from a 450 W halogen lamp to a 100 W LED, which has a lower temperature and is safer. As a result of the experiment, CO2 bubbles were generated in the collection tube, due to the UV irradiation react, which uses oxidizer and catalysts. The maximum temperature of the solution irradiated with the LED UV lamp was less than 56°C. It confirmed the rate of bubble generation changed depending on the lamp distance, the amount of sample, oxidizer, and catalyst. In an experiment to confirm the reaction caused by heat, it was found that although a reaction occurred due to heat, the reaction was significantly lower than when using a UV lamp. The reproducibility experiment was conducted three times in total under the same conditions. It showed the same pattern. In the future, we plan to select mock samples, collect 14CO2 in Carbo- Sorb, and analyze them using LSC. The results of this research will be used as a technology to recover C-14 more safely and efficiently and will also be used to expand its application to the treatment of other wastes such as waste liquid and waste resin through simulated samples.

Bis (2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP) is a renowned extractant, favored for its affinity to selectively remove uranium via its P=O groups. We previously synthesized HDEHP-functionalized mesoporous silica microspheres for solid-phase uranium adsorption. Herein, we investigated the kinetic and isothermal behavior of uranyl ion adsorption in mesoporous silica microspheres functionalized with phosphate groups. Adsorption experiments were conducted by equilibrating 20 mg of silica samples with 50 mL of uranium solutions, with concentrations ranging from 10 to 100 mgU L−1 for isotherms and 100 mgU L−1 for kinetics. Three distinct samples were prepared with varying HDEHP to TEOS molar ratios (x = 0.16 and 0.24) and underwent hydrothermal treatment at different temperatures, resulting in distinct textural properties. Contact times spanned from 1 to 120 hours. For x = 0.16 samples, it took around 50 and 11 hours to reach equilibrium for the hydrothermally treated samples at 343 K and 373 K, respectively. Adsorbed quantities were similar (99 and 101 mg g-1, respectively), indicating consistent functional group content. This suggests that the key factor influencing uranium adsorption kinetics is pore size of the silica. The sample treated at 373 K, with a larger pore size (22.7 nm) compared to 343 K (11.5 nm), experienced less steric hindrance, allowing uranium species to diffuse more easily through the mesopores. The data confirmed the excellent fit of pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2 > 0.999) and closely matched the experimental value, suggesting that chemisorption governs the rate-controlling step. To gain further insights into uranium adsorption behavior, we conducted an adsorption isotherm analysis at various initial concentrations under a constant pH of 4. Both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied, with the Langmuir model providing a superior fit. The relatively high R2 value indicated its effectiveness in describing the adsorption process, suggesting homogenous sorbate adsorption on an energetically uniform adsorbent surface via a monolayer adsorption and constant adsorption site density, without any interaction between adsorbates on adjacent sites. Remarkably, differences in surface area did not significantly impact uranium removal efficiency. This observation strongly suggests that the adsorption capacity is primarily governed by the loading amount of HDEHP and the inner-sphere complexation with the phosphoryl group (O=P). Our silica composite exhibited an impressive adsorption capacity of 133 mg g-1, surpassing the results reported in the majority of other silica literature.

In order to establish disposal plans for sludge, which is one of the untreated waste materials from domestic nuclear power plants, it is necessary to determine the radioactivity concentration of radioactive isotopes. In this study, we aim to evaluate the gross alpha radioactivity of sludge containing radioactive contaminants after pre-treatment, in order to assess the level of sludge waste and obtain analytical data for discussing disposal methods. Samples of sludge generated from nuclear power plants were pre-treated, solutionized, and prepared as analysis samples for evaluating the gross alpha radioactivity.

Typically, the bottom of the effluent treatment facility at a nuclear power plant contains sediment, which is low-contamination waste consisting of sludge, gravel, sand, and other materials from which radioactive contaminants have been removed. Among these sediments, sludge is an irregular solid form consisting of small particles that are coagulated together, with radioactive isotopes containing cobalt attached. Currently, there is a record of disposing of dry active waste from domestic nuclear power plants, and efforts are underway to gather basic data for the disposal of untreated waste such as sludge, spent filter, and spent resin. In particular, the classification and disposal methods of waste will be determined based on the radioactivity concentration. Therefore, plans are being made to determine the radioactivity concentration of radioactive isotopes and establish disposal plans for sludge samples. In this study, pre-treatment and solutionization were carried out for the analysis of radioactive isotopes in sludge sampels from nuclear power plants. The deviation of the gamma radioisotope analysis results was derived to obtain an optimal sample quantity that represents the sludge.

During the initial cooling period of spent nuclear fuel, Cs-137 and Sr-90 constitute a large portion of the total decay heat. Therefore, separating cesium and strontium from spent nuclear fuel can significantly decrease decay heat and facilitate disposition. This study presents analytical technique based on the gas pressurized extraction chromatography (GPEC) system with cation exchange resin for the separation of Sr, Cs, and Ba. GPEC is a micro-scaled column chromatography system that allows for faster separation and reduction volume of elution solvent compared to conventional column chromatography by utilizing pressurized nitrogen gas. Here, we demonstrate the comparative study of the conventional column chromatography and the GPEC method. Cation exchange resin AG 50W-X12 (200~400 mesh size) was used. The sample was prepared at a 0.8 M hydrochloric acid solution and gradient elution was applied. In this case, we used the natural isotopes 88Sr, 133Cs, and 138Ba instead of radioactive isotopes for the preliminary test. Usually, cesium is difficult to measure with ICP-OES, because its wavelengths (455.531 nm and 459.320 nm) are less sensitive. So, we used ICP-MS to determine the identification and the recovery of eluate. In this study, optimized experimental conditions and analytical result including reproducibility of the recovery, total analysis time and volume of eluents will be discussed by comparing GPEC and conventional column chromatography.

For the disposition of radioactive wastes generated from nuclear power plant, radioisotope inventory must be analyzed to determine an activity concentration of radionuclides. Radionuclides in low- and intermediate-low-level of radioactive wastes, however, can be easily classified to easyto- measure (ETM) and difficult-to-measure (DTM) nuclides. ETM nuclides are gamma emitting nuclides that is relatively easy to measure because they do not need to be destroyed for the preprocessing. On the other hands, DTM nuclides are alpha and beta emitting nuclides that need to be destroyed for the preprocessing and also need chemical separation. Currently, measurement methods for DTM nuclides are developed and in this paper measurement methods of Fe-55, Ni-59, Ni-63, Sr-90 and Tc-99 will be introduced.

High-temperature molten salts not only demonstrate exceptional thermal and chemical stability but also offer significant advantages in catalyzing chemical reactions. Consequently, they have garnered attention as a promising medium for next-generation nuclear reactors and a wide range of electrochemical processes. Nevertheless, the challenging experimental conditions in molten salts make applying conventional analytical methods to understand reaction mechanisms a formidable task. This underscores the imperative need for more intuitive approaches to investigate molten salt chemistry. One of the simplest yet potent methods involves real-time visual monitoring of the reaction system as chemical reactions progress. In light of this, we have developed an experimental system enabling real-time visual monitoring of the internal dynamics of molten salt media. This system can capture high-resolution videos and images within molten salts, surpassing existing methodologies. We have applied this system in various electrochemical experiments using the molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt medium. Among them, this study primarily focuses on two challenging experimental scenarios that became comprehensible through our proposed system’s application: (1) the transpassivation of Zr metal and the agglomeration of potassium hexachlorozirconate (K2ZrCl6) solid salt, and (2) the solvation of electrons during the oxidation of Li metal within the molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt.

The dismantling nuclear power plant is expected to continue to change the radiation working environment compared to the operating nuclear power plant. Contamination monitors and survey meters currently in use have limitations in accurate analysis source term and dose rates for continuous changes in radiation fields at dismantling sites. Due to these limitations, the use of semiconductor detectors such as HPGe and CZT detectors with excellent energy resolution and portability is increasing. The CZT detector performs as well as the HPGe detector, but there is no proven calibration procedure yet. Therefore, in this study, the HPGe calibration method was reviewed to derive implications for the CZT detector calibration method. The operating principle of a semiconductor detector that measures gamma emission energy converts them into electrical signals is the same. Two calibrations of HPGe detectors are performed according to the standard calibration procedure for semiconductor detectors for gamma-ray measurement issued by the Korea Association of Standards & Testing Organizations. The first is an energy calibration that calculates gamma-ray peak position measurements and relational expressions using standard source term that emit gamma-rays. The channel values for energy are measured using certified reference source term to determine radionuclides by identifying channels corresponding to the measured peak energy values. The second is the measurement efficiency of measuring the coefficient calibration device, which measures gamma rays emitted from the standard source term. The detector efficiency by sample or distance is measured in consideration of the shape, size, volume, and density of the calibration device. The HPGe detector performs calibration once every six months through a verified calibration method and is being used as a source term analyzer at the power plant. The CZT detector may also establish a procedure for identifying peak positions through energy calibration and calculating radioactivity through efficiency calibration. This will be a way to expand the usability of semiconductor detectors and further monitor radiation in a more effective way.

According to IAEA GSR Part.6, Decommissioning is carried out on the basis of planning and evaluation to ensure safety, protection of workers, public, and environment. Then, the decommissioning project of nuclear facility includes a radiation protection plan that reflects the regulatory requirements and international recommendations of each country and the internal regulations of the licensee. The scope of the radiation protection plan covers all radiation activities related to the dismantling and disposal of contaminated facilities subject to decommissioning. Radiation protection applications in the United States, a country with previous experience in decommissioning nuclear facilities, include 10 CFR 20 for NRC management facilities and 10 CFR 835 for facilities under DOE. In this study, we analyzed two cases of decommissioning plans to which NRC regulations are applied. In 1992, Yankee Atomic Electric Company (YAEC), the licensee of Yankee Nuclear Power Station (YNPS), notified NRC of the permanent shutdown of YNPS and submitted decommissioning plan accordingly. This decommissioning plan consists of a total of 9 chapters, and section 3.2 describes the radiation protection of decommissioning workers. The contents of the radiation protection program consist of 16 subsections. Another case is the decommissioning work plan of U.S. Navy Surface Ship Support Barge (SSSB), which used in Virginia to support the refueling of the U.S. Navy’s reactor vessel. This document was developed based on the NUREG-1757 and was revised in 2021 after receiving NRC comment. SSSB’s project radiation protection plan is described in appendix 1, and the contents consist of a total of 28 sections except for reference. In Korea, decommissioning plan is developed in accordance with “Standard Format and Content of the Decommissioning Plan for Nuclear Facilities”. According to this regulation, the radiation protection plan for licensing documents submitted at the time of application for approval of decommissioning execution shall describe the organization and functions for implementing of plan, methods, cycles and procedures for performing radiation protection and radiological monitoring. Also, the safety review guidelines of regulatory body also require radiation protection plans and procedures to ensure ALARA activities during decommissioning. In the case of the final decommissioning plan of Kori-1, which is currently submitted to regulatory body for licensing review, the decommissioning radiation protection plan is divided into 8 sections. Although the classification criteria for the radiation protection plan categories described above facilities are different, it could be seen that the following 7 contents are included in common: (a) ALARA application and organization for implementation, (b) Management of radiation control area, (c) Process of radiation work, (d) Radiation and contamination control, (e) Personnel radiation exposure monitoring, (f) Radioactive material management, (g) Radiation protection training.

This study presents distribution of naturally occurring radioactive materials in groundwater in Jeju island. Radon (222Rn) and potassium (40K) concentrations were performed by using Liquid Scintillation Counter and Ion Chromatograph respectively. In addition, the activities of uranium and thorium nuclides were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy. Groundwater samples were collected from 9 sites of water intake facilities for wide area supply in Jeju island from September 2022 to September 2023. The 40K concentrations of groundwater ranged between 0.050 and 0.400 Bq·L-1. The radon concentrations in groundwater were in the range of 0 to 60 Bq L-1, and there was no groundwater exceeding the range of 148 Bq L-1 proposed by the US EPA. The distribution of uranium and thorium in groundwater varied from 0 to 500 ng L-1 and 0 to 2.4 ng L-1, respectively. The concentrations of uranium did not exceed 30 μg L-1, thresholds indicated by the US EPA. By analyzing the concentrations of 40K, 222Rn, 238U and 232Th, the annual effective dose of residents can be assessed. The evaluated residents’ effective dose from natural radionuclides due to intake of drinking water is less than the recommended value of 100 μSv y-1. Consequently, this study indicates that the cancer risks of the residents in Jeju island from naturally occurring radioactive materials ingested with water is insignificant.

Bisphenol-A, also known as BPA, is commonly used as a building block for epoxy and polycarbonate plastics. However, it has been recently identified as a major source of water pollution due to its release into the water from plastic products. BPA-based resins can also contaminate the water with high concentrations of BPA, which can enter the water bodies through production units and wastewater discharge. Photocatalysis, particularly the photo-Fenton process, is an effective method for wastewater treatment and degrading pollutants. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is usually chosen based on its high photocatalytic properties and high performance. However, its wide band gap energy is a major issue for the photocatalytic process. This means that the catalyst can only exhibit high photocatalytic performance under UV-light irradiation and usually requires an acidic pH, which limits its use. In order to address the aforementioned issues, a visible-light photoactive photo-Fenton reaction has been successfully developed to degrade bisphenol A at natural pH using H2O2. The process was highly efficient, achieving complete degradation of phenol in just three hours of visible light irradiation with Cu-MOF. This environmentally friendly Fenton process has the advantage of occurring at natural pH levels with the presence of H2O2, providing a new perspective for efficient degradation. The photocatalyst was characterized using single X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS).

KHNP is conducting research to decommission Wolsong Unit 1 Calandria. Establishment of preparation and dismantlement processes, conceptual design of equipment and temporary radiation protection facilities, and waste management are being established. In particular, the ALARA plan is to be established by performing exposure dose evaluation for workers. This study aims to deal with the methodology of evaluating exposure dose based on the calandria dismantling process. The preparation process consists of bringing in and installing tooling and devices, and removing interference facilities to secure work space. The main source term for the preparation process is the calandria structure itself and crud of feeders. In the case of the dismantlement process, a structure with a shape that changes according to the process was modeled as a radiation source. It is intended to estimate the exposure dose by selecting the number of workers, time, and location required for each process in the radiation field evaluated according to the preparation and dismantlement process. In addition, it is also conducting an evaluation of the impact on dust generated by cutting operations and the human impact of C-14, H-3, which are specialized nuclides for heavy water reactors. KHNP is conducting an exposure dose evaluation based on a process based on the preparation and dismantlement process for decommissioning Calandria through computation code analysis. If additional worker protection measures are deemed necessary through dose evaluation according to this methodology, the process is improved to prepare for the dismantling of worker safety priorities.

Kori Unit 1 nuclear power plant is a pressurized water reactor type with an output of 587 Mwe, which was permanently shut down on June 18, 2017. Currently, the final decommissioning plan (FDP) has been submitted and review is in progress. Once the FDP is approved, it is expected that dismantling will begin with the secondary system, and dismantling work on the primary system of Kori Unit 1 will begin after the spent nuclear fuel is taken out. It is expected that the space where the secondary system has been dismantled can be used as a temporary storage place, and the entire dismantling schedule is expected to proceed without delay. The main equipment of the secondary system is large and heavy. The rotating parts is connected to a single axis with a length of about 40 meters, and is complexly installed over three floors, making accessibility very difficult. A large pipe several kilometers long that supplies various fluids to the secondary system is installed hanging from the ceiling using a hanger between the main devices, and the outer diameter of the pipe is wrapped with insulation material to keep warm. In nuclear secondary system decommissioning, it is very important to check for radiation contamination, establish and implement countermeasures, and predict and manage safety and environmental risks that may occur when cutting and dismantling large heavy objects. So we plan to evaluate the radiation contamination characteristics of the secondary system using ISOCS (In- Situ Object Counting System) to check for possible radioactive contamination. According to the characteristics results, decommissioning plans and methods for safe dismantling by workers were studied. In addition, we conducted research on how to safely dismantle the secondary system in terms of industrial safety, such as asbestos, cutting and handling of heavy materials and so on. This study proposes a safe decommissioning method for various risks that may occur when dismantling the secondary system of Kori Unit 1 nuclear power plant.

Heavy metal wastewater containing cobalt (Co2+) has received more attention as an environment issue, which is released from electroplating processes, battery materials industries, nuclear power plants, etc. Especially, cobalt exposed to high-temperature and high-pressure environment during the operation of a nuclear power plant to form corrosion products and forming a chalk river unidentified deposit (CURD) along with radioactive materials generated in cooling water pipes. Cobalt present in the oxide film is mainly Co-60, which emits radiation and causes increased radiation exposure to workers, and efficient management is essential. In this study, we demonstrated the performance of copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCF) electrodes in a capacitive deionization (CDI) system for Co2+ ions removal. The structure and chemical status of CuHCF used as an electrode material were characterized, and electrochemical properties were evaluated. This study showed that Co2+ ions could be efficiently removed in aqueous solutions using CuHCF electrodes. It has been experimentally shown that the ion removal mechanism is driven by the insertion of Co2+ ions within the CuHCF lattice channels. The deionization capacities in 20 and 50 mg-Co2+ L-1 aqueous solutions were 141.62 and 156.85 mg g-1, respectively, and the corresponding charge efficiencies (Λ) were 0.55 and 0.68, respectively. Thus, we suggest that an electrochemically driven process using CuHCF can usefully remove Co2+ ions from wastewater.

The radiological characterization of SSCs (Structure, Systems and Components) plays one of the most important role for the decommissioning of KORI Unit-1 during the preparation periods. Generally, a regulatory body and laws relating to the decommissioning focus on the separation and appropriate disposal or storage of radiological waste including ILW (intermediate level waste), LLW (low level waste), VLLW (very low level waste) and CW (clearance waste), aligned with their contamination characteristics. The result of the preliminary radiological characterization of KORI Unit-1 indicated that, apart from neutron activated the RV (reactor vessel), RVI (reactor vessel internals), and BS (biological shielding concrete), the majorities of contamination were sorted to be less than LLW. Radiological contamination can be evaluated into two methods. Due to the difficulties of directly measuring contamination on the interior surfaces of the pipe, called CRUD, the assessment was implemented by modeling method, that is measuring contamination on the exterior surfaces of the pipes and calculating relative factors such as thickness and size. This indirect method may be affected by the surrounding radiation distribution, and only a few gamma nuclides can be measured. Therefore, it has limitation in terms of providing detailed nuclide information. Especially, α and β nuclides can only be estimated roughly by scaling factors, comparing their relative ratios with the existing gamma results. To overcome the limitation of indirect measurement, a destructive sampling method has been employed to assess the contamination of the systems and component. Samples are physically taken some parts of the systems or components and subsequently analyzed in the laboratory to evaluate detailed nuclides and total contamination. For the characterization of KORI Unit-1, we conducted the radiation measurement on the exterior surfaces of components using portable instruments (Eberline E-600 SPA3, Thermo G20-10, Thermo G10, Thermo FH40TG) at BR (boron recycle system) and SP (containment spray system) in primary system. Based on these results, the ProUCL program was employed to determine the destructive sample collection quantities based on statistical approach. The total of 5 and 8 destructive sample quantities were decided by program and successfully collected from the BR and SP systems, respectively. Samples were moved to laboratory and analyzed for the detail nuclide characteristics. The outcomes of this study are expected to serve as valuable information for estimating the types and quantities of radiological waste generated by decommissioning of KORI Unit-1.

The Derived Concentration Guideline Level (DCGL) is required to release the facility from the nuclear safety act at the stage of site restoration of the decommissioning nuclear power plant. In order to evaluate DCGL, there are various requirements, and among them, the selection of input parameters based on the application scenario is the main task. Especially, it is important to select input parameters that reflect site characteristics, and at this time, a single deterministic value or a probabilistic distribution can be applied. If it is inappropriate to apply a particular single value, it may be reasonable to apply various distributions, and the RESRAD code provides for evaluation using probabilistic methods. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the difference between the application of the deterministic method and the application of the probabilistic method to the area and thickness of the contaminated zone among the site characteristics data. This study analyzed the thickness and area of the contaminated zone, and in the case of thickness, the deterministic method was applied by changing the thickness at regular intervals from the minimum depth considered by MARSSIM to the thickness of the unsaturated zone identified in previous research data. In addition, a probabilistic analysis was performed by applying a distribution to the thickness of contaminated zone. Second, for the area of the contaminated zone, the dose was evaluated for each area in consideration of the areas to be considered when deriving Area Factor (AF), and the resulting change in DCGL was observed. As a result, the DCGL tends to decrease as the thickness increases, and it seems to be saturated when the thickness exceeds a certain thickness. Therefore, It was confirmed that the level of saturated values is similar to that of entering a probabilistic distribution, and in the case of a parameter that is reasonable to enter as a distribution rather than as a single value, it is sufficiently conservative to perform a probabilistic evaluation. In the case of area change, the DCGL evaluation result showed that the DCGL increased as the scale decreased. The magnitude of the change varies depending on the characteristics of each radionuclide, and in the case of radionuclides where external exposure gamma rays have a major exposure effect, the change is relatively small. It can be seen that the change in DCGL according to the area has the same tendency as the AF applicable to the survey unit for small survey units applied in the final status survey.

According to acceptance of radioactive waste, homogeneous waste such as concentrated liquid waste and spent resin must be solidified to reduce radiological hazards and protect public health and the ecology. However, when using a High Integrity Containers (HIC), it is stated that homogeneous waste can be disposed of without applying the solidification test requirements. PCHIC, developed in korea, is composed of polyethylene (PE, interior), polymer concrete (PC, filler), and steel (external reinforcement). Currently, PC-HIC will be used as a packaging container for low-level liquid waste and spent resin waste. PE has a lower shielding efficiency compared to PC, but it offers the economic advantage of lower production costs. Therefore, cost savings can be expected if very low-level waste is packaged and disposed of HIC made only of PE materials (PEHIC). Despite the economical advantage of PE-HIC, PE-HIC has not been used domestically since NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) reported that PE-HIC couldn’t meet the mechanical integrity criteria for radiation exsure. However, according to IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) research, it has been reported that mechanical integrity of PE-HIC is not affected when the absorbed dose is below 50 kGy. Therefore, in this study, Radiological impact of VLLW packaged into PE-HIC is evaluated to confirm that the absorbed dose is below 50 kGy, which then be used to assess feasibility of PE-HIC to be used as packaging and disposal container for radioactive waste. Radiological impact of VLLW packaged into PE-HIC is evaluated to confirm that the absorbed dose is below 50 kGy, which then be used to assess feasibility of PE-HIC to be used as packaging and disposal container for radioactive waste. The feasibility of using PE-HIC as packaging-disposal containers for radioactive waste will be reviewed. In this study, the radiation effects of only waste packaged in PE-HIC were considered, and additional assumptions are as follows. - Nuclides subject to radioactivity evaluation: Co-60, Cs-137 - Radioactivity concentration: very low-level radioactive wastel concentration limit - Target waste: waste resin - PE-HIC dimensions: outer diameter: 1,194 mm, height: 1,290 mm, and thickness 88 mm (PCHIC internal PE shape) Considering the above assumption, the exposure rate was evaluated using the MicroShield program. Since the density of PE-HIC in the MicroShield program was assumed as the density of air. The absorbed dose was recalculated through density correction of the derived exposure rate. As a result, it was confirmed that absorbed dose was about 2-3 mGy over 300 years. As a result of dose evaluation by MicroShield, it is judged that the mechanical integrity of PEHIC as an packaging of VLLW can be proved by confirming that the absorption dose irradiated to PE-HIC by internal waste is less than 50 kGy.