Alpha activities can be used for categorization, transportation, and disposal of radioactive waste generated from the operation of nuclear facilities including nuclear power plants. In order to transport and dispose of such low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) to the Wolsong LILW Disposal Center (WLDC) at Gyeongju, the gross alpha concentration of an individual drum should be determined according to the acceptance criteria. In addition, when the gross alpha concentration exceeds 10 Bq/g, the inventory of the comprising alpha emitters in the waste is to be identified. Gross alpha measurements using a proportional counter are usually straightforward, inexpensive, and high-throughput, so they are broadly used to assay the total alpha activity for environmental, health physics, and emergency-response assessments. However, several factors are thoughtfully considered to obtain a reliable approximate for the entire alpha emitters in a sample, which include the alpha particle energy of a particular radionuclide, the radionuclide that is used as a calibration standard, the uniformity of film in a planchet, time between sample collection and sample preparation, and time between sample preparation and counting. Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) have evaluated the inventory of radionuclides in low-level radioactive waste drums to send every year hundreds of them to the WLDC. In this presentation, we revisit the gross alpha measurement results of the drums transported to WLDC in the past few years and compare them with the concentrations of alpha emitters measured from alpha spectrometry and gamma spectrometry. This study offers an insight into the gross alpha measurement for radioactive waste regarding calibration source, self-absorption effect, composition of alpha emitters, etc.

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is planning to disposal of the radioactive contaminated cement waste form to the final disposal facility. The final disposal facility require evaluation of immersion, compressive strength, and radionuclide inventory of radioactive wastes to meet the acceptance criteria for safe disposal. According to the LILW acceptance criteria of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission ok Korea (NSSC), the disposal limit radioactivity of 129I (3.70×101 Bq/g) is lower than other radionuclides. 129I emits low energy as its disposal limit is low, so it is difficult to analyze in the presence of 137Cs and 60Co which emit high energy. Therefore, it is essential to an accurately separate and analyze iodine in radioactive waste. In this study, we focused on the determination of 129I in cement waste form containing 137Cs, 60Co. We added 1 g of 129I(11.084 Bg), 137Cs(1,300 Bq) and 60Co(402 Bq) to cement waste form, respectively. The separation of 129I in cement waste form was carried out using an acid leaching method. And, we confirmed the specific activity of 137Cs and 60Co at each separation step. It was observed that an acid leaching method showed the remove efficiency 137Cs(99.97%) and 60Co(99.94%), respectively. In addition, 129I was also analyzed at approximately 96.44% in simulated contaminated cement waste form. In conclusion, through this experiment, it was confirmed that 129I could be successfully separated and analyzed by using the acid leaching method in cement waste form containing excessive 137Cs and 60Co.

The decommissioning of nuclear facilities produces various types of radiologically contaminated waste. In addition, dismantlement activities, including cutting, packing, and clean-up at the facility site, result in secondary radioactive waste such as filters, resin, plastic, and clothing. Determining of the radionuclide content of this waste is an important step for the determination of a suitable management strategy including classification and disposal. In this work, we radiochemically characterized the radionuclide activities of filters used during the decommissioning of Korea Research Reactors (KRRs) 1 and 2. The results indicate that the filter samples contained mainly 3H (500–3,600 Bq·g−1), 14C (7.5–29 Bq·g−1), 55Fe (1.1– 7.1 Bq·g−1), 59Ni (0.60–1.0 Bq·g−1), 60Co (0.74–70 Bq·g−1), 63Ni (0.60–94 Bq·g−1), 90Sr (0.25–5.0 Bq·g−1), 137Cs (0.64–8.7 Bq·g−1), and 152Eu (0.19–2.9) Bq·g−1. In addition, the gross alpha radioactivity of the samples was measured to be between 0.32–1.1 Bq·g−1. The radionuclide concentrations were below the concentration limit stated in the low- and intermediatelevel waste acceptance criteria of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, and used for the disposal of the KRRs waste drums to a repository site.

We established pretreatment method of solidified cement ion-exchange resin samples generated before 2003 in nuclear power plants for measurement of non-volatile radionuclide activity. A microwave digestion system (MDS) with mixed acid (HCl-HNO3-HF-H2O2) was used to dissolve cement and to desorb non-volatile elements such as Ce, Co, Cs, Fe, Nb, Ni, Re, Sr and U from mixed ion-exchange resin. The content of Ce, Co, Fe, Nb, Ni, Re, Sr, U and Cs after pretreatment of cement plus mixed ion-exchange resin was measured by ICP-AES and ICP-MS, respectively. As iron and strontium are also present in cement, their content after dissolving a certain amount of cement was measured by ICP-AES. All elements except Nb were quantitatively recovered. Especially since the Nb recovery was low at 72.0±2.5%, the MDS following addition of the mixed acid to the resin was operated once more for desorbing Nb from it. Finally the recovery of Nb was over 95%. This sample pretreatment method will be applied to solidified cement ion-exchange resin samples generated in nuclear power plants for assessment of radionuclide inventory.

The massive amount of radioactive waste will generated during decommissioning of nuclear. Among the radioactive waste from these disposal process, 50-55 million tons of concrete waste are included. For safe disposal, it is very important to accurately analyze the concentration of radionuclides, especially 129I and 131I, contaminated concrete. 129I, a long-lived radioisotope of iodine (t1/2=1.57 × 107 y), and 131I (t1/2=8.04 d) are generated from the fission of uranium in nuclear reactors. In Korea, according to the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) radioactive clearance level guide, the limit for radioactive clearance level of 129I is less than 0.01 (Bq/g). Iodine can be absorbed, accumulate in organisms, and exhibit low energy emission compared with cesium, and cobalt. Therefore, it is essential to an accurately separate and analyze iodine radioactive waste. In this study, we focused on the determination of iodine in simulated cement waste form containing KI for the recovery of iodine. We performed cement waste form sieved through a different particle size (0.5 mm < ɸ < 6.35 mm). For the separation of iodine from solid samples with low iodine content, such as soil, sediment, and cement, for sample decomposition associated with solvent extraction using CHCl3 for separation of iodine from the matrix. The separation of iodine in cement waste particles was therefore carried out using an acid leaching method using KI containing cement particles. We observed that cement particle size decreased at 6.35 mm to 0.5 mm with iodine yield decrease at 0.840±0.011 to 0.582±0.010. Thus, in this study, the acid leaching method enables to determination Iodine in cement.

This study investigated the densification behavior of rhenium alloys including W-25 wt.%Re and Re-2W-1Ta (pure Re) during sintering. The dilatometry experiments were carried out to obtain the in-situ shrinkage in H2 atmo-sphere. The measured data was analyzed through shrinkage, strain rate and relative density, and then symmetricallytreated to construct the linearized form of master sintering curve (MSC) and MSC as a well-known and straightforwardapproach to describe the densification behavior during sintering. The densification behaviors for each material were ana-lyzed in many respects including apparent activation energy, densification parameter, and densification ratio. MSC witha minimal set of preliminary experiments can make the densification behavior to be characterized and predicted as wellas provide guideline to sinter cycle design. Considering the results of linearized form and MSC, it was confirmed thatthe W-25 wt.%Re compared to Pure Re is more easily densified at the relatively low temperature.

F. occidentalis causes to decrease the yield of chrysanthemum flower economically because it is the major crop pest injuring the flower directly at flowering period in chrysanthemum artificial houses. The control of it with chemicals is very difficult because the resistance of it to chemicals is so high. F. occidentalis began to occur at early-May and increased rapidly mid-May after in standard chrysanthemum artificial houses, Yesan, Chungcheongnam-do. In case of a farm, the density of it increased continuously in spite of chemical control . The times of chemical control to depress the density of it was 6 or 7th for cultivation period of chrysanthemum. We put the flowering yellow pot-mum already (trap plant attracting F. occidentalis) in standard chrysanthemum PVC-houses and set the yellow sticky cards up at an interval of 5m from trap plant(TP). The more yellow sticky trap near to trap plant, the more F. occidentalis was attracted to yellow sticky trap. TP was more attractive to adult F. occidentalis up to distances of 10m. The numbers of it attracted to yellow sticky traps at different distance from TP was not different significantly when standard chrysanthemum bloomed. We put the TP in standard chrysanthumum PVC-house at an distance of 20m and released the natural enemies (Orius laevigatus) on TP at 3 times, an interval of 7 days. And then we set yellow sticky traps up at an distance of 5m from TP and compared the plot with TP+natural enemy(NE) to the plot without them. The density of F. occidentalis was rather lower at TP+NE plot than the plot without at the formative period of flower bud of standard chrysanthemum. Therefore, The yellow flowering chrysanthemum possesses great value of TP attracting F. occidentalis in chrysanthumum PVC-house up to flowering period of cultivating chrysanthemum, and if it is used with natural enemy and chemicals simultaneously, farmers can minimize the quantity of chemicals used.

We investigated the distribution and habitat characterization of Korean Osmia spp. in apple orchard of 32 localities during 2005 to 2008. A total of 6,737 Osmia spp. were collected, consisting of six species, which was Osmia cornifrons, O. pedicornis, O. taurus, O. benefica, O. satoi and O. jacoti. The rate of bee nested was 11.7%. Among collected 32 localities, Choongju showed the most collecting rate among other localities, which was 22.4% and 17.5% for Yeongju and 14.9% for Geochang. In case of collected six Osmia spp, O. cornifrons was 60.2%, which was the dominant species and O. pedicornis was 20.4% and O. taurus was 10.8%, respectively. In case of sex ratio, O. cornifrons was 1 : 2.7 and 1 : 5.6 for O. pedicornis and 1 : 2.3 for O. taurus. Osmia spp. was more collected at habitat conditions within apple orchard with plentiful pollens place and abundant water.

Background : Ramie, Boehmeria nivea (L) Gaud, is a bast fiber plant of the nettle family (Urticaceae) and originated in Asia. We have taken an active interest in ramie breeding for edible ramie, and consequently select "Yeonggwang No.1" with high yielding and good quality for edible leaves in 2015. Methods and Results : "Yeonggwang No.1" is a new ramie variety for edible leaves, which was derived from the plants of the population for pure clone isolation from 2013 to 2014, and progressively for specific character and yield trial in 2014 to 2015. The yield trials were carried on the field and the greenhouse with two replications, respectively. The plant height of "Yeonggwang No.1" is about 140 ㎝ with 6 ㎝ higher than that of check variety "Seobang" The leaves are heart-shaped, with large size, and finely serrated margins. The color of the upper side of the leaf is dark green, and silvery white on the under surface. The flowers are light purple in color and are borne in declinate clusters in the axils of the leaves. The average SLW (specific leaf weight) was 8.56 ㎎/㎠, which was weight lighter than that of check "Seobang", but chlorophyll content measured by a Chlorophyll meter, SPAD-502 was 12.3 SPAD higher than that of "Seobang". Fresh leaf yield was the annual total 1,578 ㎏/10 a in the field, and 2,479 ㎏/10 a in the greenhouse, which was 98% level of "Seobang" in the field, and increased by 10% than check "Seobang" in the greenhouse. The fresh leaves yield of "Yeonggwang No.1" tended to increased in changes according to time more than "Seobang". Conclusion : As a new variety, Yeonggwang No.1 can be harvested leaves several times annually, with the yield range of 1,578 – 2,479 ㎏/10 a, having 72.3% moisture, 6.61% crude protein, 987 ㎎ calcium, 5.27 Fe in its leaves. These results seem to indicate that there is considerable scope for increasing the fresh leaf yield of ramie and improving the processing quality by means of selection from the large and comparatively unexplored pool of variation, which should be obtainable from this heterozygous plant.

광나무(L. lucidum)는 ursolic acid와 oleanolic acid를 다량 포함하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 광나무 열매, 줄기, 잎 세 부위 추출물의 항주름 효능을 평가하였다. 광나무 추출물은 human skin fibroblasts에서 독성이 없을 뿐만 아니라 MMP-1과 MMP-2의 발현을 감소시키고 COL1A1의 발현을 증가시켰다. 이들 추출물은 모두 농도 의존적으로 COL1A1의 발현을 증가시켰으며 MMP-1과 MMP-2의 발현을 감소시켰다. 광나무 세 부위 추출물 가운데, 열매 부위에 가장 많은 양의 ursolic acid 와 oleanolic acid가 함유되어 있었으며 가장 강한 COL1A1 upregulating 효과와 MMP-1과 MMP-2 downregulating 효과를 나타냈다. 이처럼 항주름 효능을 보이는 광나무 열매 추출물은 기능성 화장품 소재로 개발될 수 있는 가능성이 있다.