Laser cutting has been recognized as one of key techniques in dismantling nuclear power plants as it has several advantages such as a remote operation and a reduced secondary waste. However, it generates a significant amount of aerosols that can pose a health risk to workers and further induce environmental pollution during the cutting operation. Thus, understanding the aerosol characteristics generated by the laser cutting is crucial for implementing an effective cutting operation and reducing the exposure to these hazardous particles. In this work, we established a methodology to collect the aerosols and investigate their properties in the laser cutting operation. We built an integrated laser cutting system for aerosol analyses, consisting of a high-power laser cutting module, a metal sample holder, an aerosol collector, and a closed chamber. We expect that this system will offer an opportunity for in-depth understanding of the aerosol properties, by connecting it with desired type of aerosol analysis platforms, and further safe dismantling operation of the nuclear power plants.

During the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant, the structures must be dismantled to a disposal size. Thermal cutting methods are used to reduce metal structures to a disposal size. When metal is cut using thermal cutting methods, aerosols of 1 μm or less are generated. To protect workers from aerosols in the work environment during cutting, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the aerosols generated during the cutting process. In this study, changes in aerosol characteristics in the working environment were observed during metal thermal cutting. The cutting was done using the plasma arc cutting method. To simulate the aerosols generated during metal cutting in the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant, a non-radioactive stainless steel plate with a thickness of 20 mm was cut. The cutting condition was set to plasma current: 80 A cutting speed: 100 mm/min. The aerosols generated during cutting were measured using a highresolution aerosol measurement device called HR-ELPI+ (Dekati®). The HR-ELPI+ is an instrument that can measure the range of aerodynamic diameter from 0.006 μm to 10 μm divided into 500 channels. Using the HR-ELPI+, the number concentration of aerosols generated during the cutting process was measured in real-time. We measured the aerosols generated during cutting at regular intervals from the beginning of cutting. The analyzed aerosol concentration increased almost 10 times, from 5.22×106 [1/cm3] at the start of cutting to 6.03×107 [1/cm3] at the end. To investigate the characteristics of the distribution, we calculated the Count Median Aerodynamic Diameter (CMAD), which showed that the overall diameter of the aerosol increased from 0.0848 μm at the start of cutting to 0.1247 μm at the end of the cutting. The calculation results were compared with the concentration by diameter over time. During the cutting process, particles with a diameter of 0.06 μm or smaller were continuously measured. In comparison, particles with a diameter of 0.2 μm or larger were found to increase in concentration after a certain time following the start of cutting. In addition, when the aerosol was measured after the cutting process had ended, particles with a diameter of 0.06 μm or less, which were measured during cutting, were hardly detected. These results show that the nucleation-sized aerosols are generated during the cutting process, which can explain the measurement of small particles at the beginning of cutting. In addition, it can be speculated that the generated aerosols undergo a process of growth by contact with the atmosphere. This study presents the results of real-time aerosol analysis during the plasma arc cutting of stainless steel. This study shows the generation of nucleation-sized particles at the beginning of the cutting process and the subsequent increase in the aerosol particle size over time at the worksite. The analysis results can characterize the size of aerosol particles that workers may inhale during the dismantling of nuclear power plants.

The function of coolant in machining is to reduce the frictional force in the contact area in between the tool and the material, and to increase the precision by cooling the work-piece and the tool, to make the machining surface uniform, and to extend the tool life. However, cutting oil is harmful to the human body because it uses chlorine-based extreme pressure additives to cause environmental pollutants. In this study, the effect of cutting temperature and surface roughness of titanium alloy for medical purpose (Ti-6Al-7Nb) in eco-friendly ADL slot shape machining was investigated using the response surface analysis method. As the design of the experiment, three levels of cutting speed, feed rate, and depth of cut were designed and the experiment was conducted using the central composite planning method. The regression expressions of cutting temperature and surface roughness were respectively obtained as quadratic functions to obtain the minimum value and optimal cutting conditions. The values from this formula and the experimental values were compared. As a result, this study makes and establishes the basis to prevent environmental pollution caused by the use of coolant and to replace it with ADL (Aerosol Dry Lubricant) machining that uses a very small amount of vegetable oil with high pressure.

Cement is widely used as representative industrial material. In Korea, about 50 million tons of cement are consumed every year. In the manufacture of cement, raw materials containing NORM such as fly ash and bauxite are used. Therefore, the workers can be subjected to radiation exposure. The major exposure pathway in NORM industries is internal exposure due to inhalation of aerosol. Internal radiation dose due to aerosol inhalation varies depending on physicochemical properties of the aerosol. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate aerosol properties influencing inhalation dose in cement industries. In this study, aerosol properties were measured for two cement manufacturers. A particulate size distribution and concentration at various processing areas in cement manufacturing industries in Korea were analyzed using a cascade impactor. The mass density of raw materials and byproducts were measured using pycnometer. Shape of particulates was analyzed using SEM. The radioactivity concentration of Ra-226, Ra-228 for U/Th decay series was measured using HPGe. Particulate concentration by size was distributed log-normally with maximum at particle size about 7.2 μm in manufacturer A and 5.2 μm in manufacturer B. The mass density of fly ash and cement were 2.3±0.06, 3.2±0.02 g/cm3 respectively in manufacturer A. In manufacturer B, the mass density of bauxite and cement were 3.4±0.02, 2.9±0.01 g/cm3 respectively. The shape of particulates appeared as spherical shape in manufacturer A and B regardless of sampling area. Thus, a shape factor of unity could be assumed. The radioactivity concentrations of Ra-226, Ra-228 were 82±9, 82±8 Bq/kg for fly ash, and 25±4, 23±3 Bq/kg for cement in manufacturer A. In manufacturer B, the radioactivity concentrations of Ra-226, Ra-228 were 344±34, 391±32 Bq/kg for bauxite, and 122±13, 145±12 Bq/kg for cement. The radioactivity concentrations of Ra-226, Ra-228 in cement were less than raw materials such as fly ash and bauxite. It is because the dilution of the radioactivity concentration occurred during mixing with other raw materials in cement production process. This study results will be used as database for accurate dose assessment due to airborne particulate inhalation by workers in cement industries.

동아시아에서 대기 에어로졸의 광역적 분포를 분석하기 위해 MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) 센서에서 산출된 AOD (Aerosol Optical Depth)와 AE (Angstroom Exponent)를 이용하였다. 2009년 동아시아 지역에서 AOD는 3월(0.44±0.25)에 높았고, 9월(0.24±0.21)에 낮았다. 봄에는 중국 북부와 몽골의 사막, 건조지역에서 발생한 모래폭풍이 광역적으로 이동하여 동아시아의 AOD에 기여하고 있다. 그러나 동아시아의 풍하측에 위치한 한반도 중부의 안면도, 청원, 울릉도에서 PM10 (d≤10μm) 질량 농도는 2월에 최고를 보인 반면, AOD는 5월에 가장 높았다. 장마 전 상대습도의 증가에 따른 흡습성 에어로졸의 성장이 5월의 높은 AOD에 기여하고 있다. 여름(8월)에는 북태평양으로부터 해양성 기류와 잦은 강수에 의한 습윤 침전으로 AOD는 낮지만 중국 동부의 산업지역에서 광역적으로 발생한 미세 에어로졸로 인해 AE (1.30±0.37)가 가장 높은 값을 보였다. 안면도, 청원, 울릉도에서 MODIS AOD와 지상 PM10 질량 농도의 상관계수는 0.4-0.6이었다. 2009년 한반도 중부에서 관측한 황사 사례는 4회(6일)였고, 인위적 대기오염 이동 사례는 6회(12일)였다. 황사 사례와 인위적 대기오염의 이동 사례에서 안면도와 청원의 PM10 농도가 모두 증가하였다. 황사와 인위적 대기오염 이동으로 PM10이 증가하는 영역에서 AOD가 높게 나타나고 있다.

Future changes in mineral dust emission are studied using CMIP5 models. These models simulate climatological spatial distribution of dust emission over the observed major sources; Sahara Desert to Arabia and Southwest Asia. Model estimates for the range of global dust emission simulation appear large in the quantity of dust produced and the amplitude of interannual variability. According to the ensemble mean in global annual emissions, projections of four RCPs do not have significant long-term trends in mineral dust aerosol emissions at the end of 21st century. Meanwhile over Northeast Asia, annual emissions are projected to decrease significantly in four RCPs. Reductions appear over the major sources of mineral dust. Seasonally emission reduction in spring is distinct. In April and May, future changes with decreasing emission appear only in RCP4.5 with significance. Aerosol emission amount changes are related to changes in land surface property. We analyze future projection of soil moisture and bare soil area fraction. Regarding the projected decreasing trend in the annual emission amount over Northeast Asia, soil moisture is expected to increase in the emission source region in four RCPs. Relatively, the effect of bare soil area changes over the emission source appears in some models and RCPs.

The shortwave aerosol direct radiative forcing (SWARF) was analyzed using the Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) data in the East Asian region from 2001 to 2010. In the Yellow Sea and the Korean Peninsula, located in the leeward side of China, significantly negative high SWARF at the top of atmosphere (TOA) occurs due to the long-range transport of anthropogenic (e.g. sulphate) and natural aerosols (e.g. mineral dust) from the East Asian continent. Conversely, eastern China has much higher levels of SWARF at the surface (SFC) due to anthropogenically emitted aerosol than in the Yellow Sea and the Korean Peninsula. Since the radiative forcing of aerosols in the atmosphere are different in type, aerosol types were classified into sea salt+sulphate, smoke, sulphate and dust by using satellite data. The analysis on the SWARF by the classified aerosol types indicated that sulphate occupies a predominant portion of the atmosphere in the Yellow Sea and the Korean Peninsula in the summer. In particular, the annual averages of the summer TOA SWARF increased in the Yellow Sea and the Korean Peninsula from 2001 to 2010.

This study analyzed mass concentrations of TSP, PM10 and PM2.5 and elemental constituents according to the isentropic backward trajectories of air parcel from Cheongwonin East Asia during the period January – October, 2011. Mass concentrations of the continental polluted airflow (CP) showed levels of TSP and PM10 mass concentrations higher than the continental background airflow (CB). Also, PM2.5 mass concentrations of anthropogenic fine particles ran higher in CP than in CB. The elemental constituents and elemental constituent ratio ended up varying depending on the origin of atmospheric aerosols generated. The average absolute content of elemental constituents reached its height in CB, the ratio of anthropogenically originating elements (PE) among the all elements (AE) analyzed marked a high in CP, and Mg+Na/AE reached its height in the oceanic airflow (OA). At the same time, TSP, PM10 and PM2.5 mass concentrations, the ratio of PM2.5/TSP and PE/AE element ratio ran higher in CP than CB. Episodes of large-scale transport of atmospheric pollutants as observed at Cheongwon were 8 cases and 22 days. The ratios of PM10, PM2.5 among TSP mass concentrations showed different results and the ratios of PM2.5 showed an increasing trend in the episodes of anthropogenic air pollution transport. Overall, dustfall episodes show a level of elemental constituents higher than those of anthropogenic air pollution.Dustfall episodes were observed to contain more of Fe, Al and Ca originating from continental soils and those of air pollution were observed to contain more of Zn, Mn, Cu and Pb. By difference in contents of absolute elemental constituents, episodes of anthropogenic air pollution showed a high PE/AE rate, and dustfall episodes a high SE/AE rate.