왕피천 수계 내 저서성 대형무척추동물의 군집구조 분석을 위해 총 5개 지점에서 2023년 총 4회(4월, 6월, 8월 11월) 조사를 실시하였다. 조사기간 중 저서성 대형무척추동물은 총 5문 7강 17목 77과 156종 17,179.1개체/㎡가 채집되었다. 수환경 변화에 민감한 E.P.T. 분류군은 전체 156종 중 91종이 출현하여, 전체 출현종의 58.3%를 차지 하였다. 섭식기능군(FFGs) 분석결과, 종 출현 양상은 육식성 포식자(Predator: P)가 51종(32.69%)으로, 개체 출현 양상은 주워먹는 무리(Gathering-collector: GC)가 6,867.2개체/㎡(39.97%)로 높은 비율로 출현하였다. 서식기능 군(FHGs) 분석결과, 붙는 무리(Clinger: CL)가 70종(44.87%), 12,720.6개체/㎡(74.04%)로 가장 높은 비율로 출현 하였다. 군집지수 분석결과, 우점도지수(DI) 0.43, 다양도지수(H′) 3.51, 풍부도지수(R1) 4.59 균등도지수(J′) 0.77 로 나타났다. 생물학적 수질 판정 지수(BMI) 분석결과, 평균 92.36(±0.83)으로 모든 지점에서 “매우 좋음”으로 판정되었다.

KORAD (Korea Radioactive Waste Agency, http://www.korad.or.kr) has stored slightly contaminated ascon (asphalt coated concrete mixture) that was introduced to Gyeongju repository about a decade ago waiting for a final disposal. It is believed to be mainly contaminated by radioisotope 137Cs due to impurities introduced from the outside during the ascon manufacturing process. We studied characteristics of the radioactive waste to see whether this material would be proper enough to be disposed in Gyeongju LILW repository or be other ways to reduce the disposal volume including self-disposal before its final disposal otherwise. KORAD looked into the properness of characteristics of ascon in terms of WAC (Waste Acceptance Criteria) documented by KORAD that includes general chemical and physical properties of asphalt, density, size of grains, content of organic material and possibility of existence of chelate materials that qualitatively limited to be disposed by the criteria. And other associated characteristics such as gas generation and bio degradation were also investigated. Based on the data obtained from the study, we proposed various plausible solutions in associated with operational and disposal safety and economic view points. This study will be used for KORAD’s decision on how to control and safely dispose the spent ascon within a reasonable time period. And also those experiences may be applied for other LILW issues that require treatment or conditioning of radioactive wastes in the future.