Currently, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is planning to build the Ki-Jang Research Reactor (KJRR) in Ki-Jang, Busan. It is important to safely dispose of low-level radioactive waste from the operation of the reactor. The most efficient way to treat radioactive waste is cement solidification. For a radioactive waste disposal facility, cement solidification is performed based on specific waste acceptance criteria such as compressive strength, free-standing water, immersion and leaching tests. Above all, the leaching test is important to final disposal. The leakage of radioactive waste such as 137Cs causes not only regional problems but also serious global ones. The cement solidification method is simple, and cheaper than other solidification methods, but has a lower leaching resistance. Thus, this study was focused on the development of cement solidification for an enhancement of cesium leaching resistance. We used Zeolite and Loess to improve the cesium leaching resistance of KJRR cement solidification containing simulated KJRR liquid waste. Based on an SEM-EDS spectrum analysis, we confirmed that Zeolite and Loess successfully isolated KJRR cement solidification. A leaching test was carried out according to the ANS 16.1 test method. The ANS 16.1 test is performed to analyze cesium ion concentration in leachate of KJRR cement for 90 days. Thus, a leaching test was carried out using simulated KJRR liquid waste containing 3000 mg·L-1 of cesium for 90 days. KJRR cement solidification with Zeolite and Loess led to cesium leaching resistance values that were 27.90% and 21.08% higher than the control values. In addition, in several tests such as free-standing water, compressive strength, immersion, and leaching tests, all KJRR cement solidification met the waste acceptance or satisfied the waste acceptance criteria for final disposal.

In this study, magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles were electrochemically synthesized in an aqueous electrolyte at a given potential of -1.3 V for 180 s. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that dendrite-like Fe3O4 nanoparticles with a mean size of < 80 nm were electrodeposited on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The Fe3O4/GCE was utilized for sensing chloramphenicol (CAP) by cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry. A reduction peak of CAP at the Fe3O4/GCE was observed at 0.62 V, whereas the uncoated GCE exhibited a very small response compared to that of the Fe3O4/GCE. The electrocatalytic ability of Fe3O4 was mainly attributed to the formation of Fe(VI) during the anodic scan, and its reduction to Fe(III) on the cathodic scan facilitated the sensing of CAP. The effects of pH and scan rate were measured to determine the optimum conditions at which the Fe3O4/GCE exhibited the highest sensitivity with a lower detection limit. The reduction current for CAP was proportional to its concentration under optimized conditions in a range of 0.09-47 μM with a correlation coefficient of 0.9919 and a limit of detection of 0.09 μM (S/N=3). Moreover, the fabricated sensor exhibited anti-interference ability towards 4-nitrophenol, thiamphenicol, and 4-nitrobenzamide. The developed electrochemical sensor is a cost effective, reliable, and straightforward approach for the electrochemical determination of CAP in real time applications.

Porous materials play a vital role in science and technology. The ability to control their pore structures at the atomic, molecular, and nanometer scales enable interactions with atoms, ions and molecules to occur throughout the bulk of the material, for practical applications. Three-dimensional (3D) porous carbon-based materials (e.g., graphene aerogels/hydrogels, sponges and foams) made of graphene or graphene oxide-based networks have attracted considerable attention because they offer low density, high porosity, large surface area, excellent electrical conductivity and stable mechanical properties. Water pollution and associated environmental issues have become a hot topic in recent years. Rapid industrialization has led to a massive increase in the amount of wastewater that industries discharge into the environment. Water pollution is caused by oil spills, heavy metals, dyes, and organic compounds released by industry, as well as via unpredictable accidents. In addition, water pollution is also caused by radionuclides released by nuclear disasters or leakage. This review presents an overview of the state-of-the-art synthesis methodologies of 3D porous graphene materials and highlights their synthesis for environmental applications. The various synthetic methods used to prepare these 3D materials are discussed, particularly template-free self-assembly methods, and template-directed methods. Some key results are summarized, where 3D graphene materials have been used for the adsorption of dyes, heavy metals, and radioactive materials from polluted environments.

One of the issues currently facing nuclear power plants is how to store spent nuclear waste materials which are contaminated with radionuclides such as 134Cs, 135Cs, and 137Cs. Bioremediation processes may offer a potent method of cleaning up radioactive cesium. However, there have only been limited reports on Cs+ tolerant bacteria. In this study, we report the isolation and identification of Cs+ tolerant bacteria in environmental soil and sediment. The resistant Cs+ isolates were screened from enrichment cultures in R2A medium supplemented with 100 mM CsCl for 72 h, followed by microbial community analysis based on sequencing analysis from 16S rRNA gene clone libraries (NCBI’s BlastN). The dominant Bacillus anthracis Roh-1 and B. cereus Roh-2 were successfully isolated from the cesium enrichment culture. Importantly, B. cereus Roh- 2 is resistant to 30% more Cs+ than is B. anthracis Roh-1 when treated with 50 mM CsCl. Growth experiments clearly demonstrated that the isolate had a higher tolerance to Cs+. In addition, we investigated the adsorption of 0.2 mg L-1 Cs+ using B. anthracis Roh-1. The maximum Cs+ biosorption capacity of B. anthracis Roh-1 was 2.01 mg g-1 at pH 10. Thus, we show that Cs+ tolerant bacterial isolates could be used for bioremediation of contaminated environments.

전 세계적으로 원자력 발전소는 442기가 가동 중이며, 62기가 충원될 예정이다. 원자력 발전소의 증가에 따라 방사성 폐기물 유출에 대한 위험성도 증가하였다. 이러한 이유 때문 에, 방사성 폐기물의 처리는 인간, 동물, 식물을 포함하는 자 연 생태계를 보전하는 관점에서 중요하다. 또한, 방사성 폐 기물 유출은 그 지역뿐만 아니라 전 세계적으로 심각한 문 제를 야기한다. 본 연구는 입체 배양세포에 방사성 핵종원 소 (세슘, 스트론튬, 코발트)를 처리하였고 이에 대한 영향력 을 확인하였다. 입체 배양 구조체는 아가로오스 하이드로겔 을 이용하여 제작했으며 암세포 및 정상세포 (HeLa, HepG2, COS-7)를 사용하여 입체 배양을 실시 하였다. 입체 형태로 세포를 배양한 후 세슘, 스트론튬, 코발트 농도 변화에 따라 세포 생존능력을 분석하였다. 이때 입체 배양세포에서 생존 능력이 단층 배양세포 보다 최대 42% 우수한 것을 확인하였 다. 입체 배양구조체는 세포가 형태 및 생리학적으로 in vivo 환경인 조직과 비슷하게 배양을 가능하게 하였다. 따라서, 입체 배양구조체는 기존의 단층 배양 한계점인 in vivo 환경 에 적용시킬 수 없다는 한계를 극복하였다. 본 입체 배양 기 술이 중금속 독성평가 및 단시간 내에 다수의 물질 분석을 수행하는 고속 대량 스크리닝 기술에 활용될 것으로 기대한 다.