When decommissioning a nuclear power plant, it is expected that clearance or radioactive waste (e.g., soil, concrete, metal, etc.) below the low-level will be generated in a short period on a large scale. Among the various types of waste, most of the contaminated soil is known to be classified as clearance or the (very) low-level radioactive waste. Accordingly, an accurate measurement and classification of contaminated soil in real-time during the decommissioning process can efficiently reduce the amount of soil waste and the possibility of contamination diffusion. However, in order to apply a system that measures and classifies contaminated soil in real-time according to the level of contamination to the decommissioning site, a demonstration is required to evaluate whether the system is applicable to the site. In this study, to establish requirements for determining the applicability of the system to the decommissioning site, preceding cases from countries with abundant decommissioning experience were investigated. For example, MACTEC of the U.S. demonstrated the developed system at the Saxton nuclear power plant in the U.S. and confirmed that the amount of soil that can be analyzed per hour in the system is affected by radionuclides, minimum detectable activity (MDA), and applicable volume. In the future, therefore, we will utilize the result of this study to develop the requirements of demonstrating the system for measurement and classification of contaminated soil in real-time.

Copper hexacyanoferrate (Cu-HCF), which is a type of Prussian Blue analogue (PBA), possesses a specific lattice structure that allows it to selectively and effectively adsorb cesium with a high capacity. However, its powdery form presents difficulties in terms of recovery when introduced into aqueous environments, and its dispersion in water has the potential to impede sunlight penetration, possibly affecting aquatic ecosystems. To address this, sponge-type aluminum oxide, referred to as alumina foam (AF), was employed as a supporting material. The synthesis was achieved through a dip-coating method, involving the coating of aluminum oxide foam with copper oxide, followed by a reaction with potassium hexacyanoferrate (KHCF), resulting in the in-situ formation of Cu-HCF. Notably, Copper oxide remained chemically stable, which led to the application of 1, 3, 5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (H3BTC) to facilitate its conversion into Cu-HCF. This was necessary to ensure the proper transformation of copper oxide into Cu-HCF on the AF in the presence of KHCF. The synthesis of Cu-HCF from copper oxide using H3BTC was verified through X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The manufactured adsorbent material, referred to as AF@CuHCF, was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). These analyses revealed the presence of the characteristic C≡N bond at 2,100 cm-1, confirming the existence of Cu-HCF within the AF@CuHCF, accounting for approximately 3.24% of its composition. AF@CuHCF exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 34.74 mg/g and demonstrated selective cesium adsorption even in the presence of competing ions such as Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+. Consequently, AF@CuHCF effectively validated its capabilities to selectively and efficiently adsorb cesium from Cs-contaminating wastewater.

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.

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has been operating the Post Irradiation Examination Facility (PIEF) for fuel examinations. The facility has pools and hot cells for handling and examining fuel assemblies and rods. Among the hot cells, the second cell is for measuring rod internal pressure (RIP) and then cutting the rod to make samples for destructive tests. Currently, the cutting machine is broken, so it has to be replaced. Because the existing cutting machine consists of many parts and its size was quite a bit large to handle and treat for the radioactive waste disposal, the disassembly work has been performed to make it smaller using manipulators. The drawings of the cutting machine were reviewed and the disassembly tools were developed considering workability when the work performed at the hot cell using the manipulators. The large parts such as motor, mirror and cable, etc., were able to be disassembled and the machine size became so smaller that it could be easily handled for the disposal.

For the release of the nuclear power plant site after the decommissioning, a reliable exposure dose assessment considering the environmental impact of residual radionuclides is essentially required. In this study, the Derived Concentration Guideline Level (DCGL) for the hypothetically contaminated surface soil at the Wolsong nuclear power plant (NPP) unit 1 site was preliminarily calculated by using the RESRAD-OFFSITE computational code and compared with the other case studies. Moreover, radiation exposure dose for local residents and relevant exposure pathways were quantitatively analyzed based on the calculation model established through this work. For the target site modeling, the source term was determined by referring to the previous case studies regarding the nuclear power plant decommissioning, quantification analysis data of pressure tubes of Wolsong NPP unit 1, and radionuclide data estimated by using the MCNP/ORIGEN-2 code. In total, 14 different radioisotopes such as Ag-108m, C-14, Co-60, Cs-134/137, Fe-55, H-3, Nb-93m/94, Ni-63, Sb-125, Sn-121m, Sr-90, and Zr-93 were considered as target radionuclides. In addition, the geological structure model of the Wolsong NPP site was established based on the final safety analysis report of Wolsong NPP unit 1. The distribution coefficients (Kd) were taken from the JAEA-SDB to estimate the migration/retardation behavior of various radionuclides under the groundwater condition of the Wolsong NPP site. In the present work, the DCGL values were calculated according to the site release criterion of 0.1 mSv/yr, which indicates the radiation protection standard for the site release. Moreover, the exposure pathway and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the sensitive input parameters remarkably influencing the calculation result. For the evaluation of exposure dose for local residents, a site layout centered around Wolsong NPP unit 4, located in the closest proximity to the residents’ habitation area, was alternatively established and all potential exposure pathways were considered as a comprehensive resident farmer scenario. The results obtained from this study are expected to serve as a preliminary case study for the DCGL values regarding the surface soil at the Wolsong NPP unit 1 site and for evaluating the radiation exposure dose to local residents resulting from the residual radioactivity at the site after the decommissioning.

General phases in the plan and implementation of an environmental remediation of radioactively contaminated sites are planning for remediation, site characterization, remediation criteria, remediation strategy, implementing remediation actions, and conducting post-remediation activities. Environmental remediation should commence with a planning stage. It is helpful to prepare reports which detail all the supporting activities related to these elements before significant levels of funds and efforts are committed. Site characterization is needed to provide sufficient data to make strategic decisions on the environmental remediation activities. The source characterization should include both waste characterization and facility or site characterization and should provide reliable estimates of the release rates of radioactive constituents as well as constituent distribution. During the preliminary site characterization, an engineering study should be conducted to develop remediation options which address the specific contaminant problem and are aimed to reduce radiological and chemical exposure. Options will include engineering approaches and associated technologies. A preliminary selection of options may be made based on several factors including future sites use, technical considerations, public acceptability, cost, and regulatory requirements. The implementation of remediation actions includes procurement of the selected technology, preparation of the site, development of a health and safety plan, development of operations procedures, staff selection and training, completion of site cleanup, verification, waste disposal, and release of the site for any future use. Once remediation activities have been completed and verified, the remediated site can be released for restricted or unrestricted use. Remediation of radioactively contaminated sites may require special adaptation to address sites covering very large surface areas or those which are deep and difficult to access. Quality assurance may be very important to the verification of environmental remediation activities. The selection of optimal remediation technologies to solve or mitigate the safety of an environmental contamination problem should be taken into account several factors. The several factors include performance (the ability of the technology to reduce risk to the health and safety of the public and to the environment), reliability and maintenance requirements for the technology, costs of implementing the technology, infrastructure available to support the technology, availability(the ease of accessing the technology and associated services), risk to workers and public safety, environmental impacts of the technology, ability of the technology to meet regulatory acceptance, and communication of stakeholder.

Economical radioactive soil treatment technology is essential to safely and efficiently treat of high-concentration radioactive areas and contaminated sites during operation of nuclear power plants at home and abroad. This study is to determine the performance of BERAD (Beautiful Environmental construction’s RAdioactive soil Decontamination system) before applying magnetic nanoparticles and adsorbents developed by the KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) which will be used in the national funded project to a large-capacity radioactive soil decontamination system. BERAD uses Soil Washing Process by US EPA (402-R-007-004 (2007)) and can decontaminate 0.5 tons of radioactive soil per hour through water washing and/or chemical washing with particle size separation. When contaminated soil is input to BERAD, the soil is selected and washed, and after going through a rinse stage and particle size separation stage, it discharges decontaminated soil separated by sludge of less than 0.075 mm. In this experiment, the concentrations of four general isotopes (A, B, C, and D which are important radioisotopes when soil is contaminated by them.) were analyzed by using ICP-MS to compare before and after decontamination by BERAD. Since BERAD is the commercial-scale pilot system that decontaminates relatively large amount of soil, so it is difficult to test using radioactive isotopes. So important general elements such as A, B, C, and D in soil were analyzed. In the study, BERAD decontaminated soil by using water washing. And the particle size of soil was divided into a total of six particle size sections with five sieves: 4 mm, 2 mm, 0.850 mm, 0.212 mm, and 0.075 mm. Concentrations of A, B, C, and D in the soil particles larger than 4 mm are almost the lowest regardless of before and after decontamination by BERAD. For soil particles less than 4 mm, the concentrations of C and D decreased constantly after BERAD decontamination. On the other hand, the decontamination efficiency of A and B decreased as the soil particle became smaller, but the concentrations of A and B increased for the soil particle below 0.075 mm. As a result, decontamination efficiency of one cycle using BERAD for all nuclides in soil particles between 4 mm and 0.075 mm is about 45% to 65 %.

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.

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate a systematic design’s effectivity in remediating actual uranium-contaminated soil. The emphasis was placed on practical and engineering aspects, particularly in assessing the capabilities of a zero liquid discharge system in treating wastewater derived from soil washing. The research method involved a purification procedure for both the uranium-contaminated soil and its accompanying wastewater. Notably, the experimental outcomes demonstrated successful uranium separation from the contaminated soil. The treated soil could be self-disposed of, as its uranium concentration fell below 1.0 Bq·g−1, a level endorsed by the International Atomic Energy Agency for radionuclide clearance. The zero liquid discharge system’s significance lay in its distillation process, which not only facilitated the reuse of water from the separated filtrate but also allowed for the self-disposal of high-purity Na2SO4 within the residues of the distilled filtrate. Through a comparative economic analysis involving direct disposal and the application of a remediation process for uranium-contaminated soil, the comprehensive zero liquid discharge system emerged as a practical and viable choice. The successful demonstration of the design and practicality of the proposed zero liquid discharge system for treating wastewater originating from real uranium-contaminated soil is poised to have a lasting impact.

The CTBTO is the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization to ban all forms of nuclear testing (underwater, air, and underground) worldwide and was adopted at the UN’s 50th annual general meeting in September 1996. As of September 2023, 187 out of 196 countries signed and 178 ratified. The Republic of Korea signed it in 1996 and ratified it in 1999. Several major Annex 2 countries still need to ratify it, and certain countries have not even signed it, so it has not come entry into force. The CTBTO has three verification systems for nuclear tests and consists of the International Monitoring System (IMS), the International Data Center (IDC), and On-Site Inspections (OSI). IMS consists of seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound, and radionuclide monitoring. The measured data are delivered to IDC, analyzed by CTBTO headquarters, distributed raw data, and analyzed forms to member states. The final means of verification is in the field of OSI and will be operated when CTBT takes effect. Based on the IMS data, inspectors will be dispatched to the Inspected State Party (ISP) to check for nuclear tests. KINAC is attending the Working Group B, OSI technology development verification along with KINS and KIGAM. Since OSI is a means for final verification, integrated capabilities such as seismic and data interpretation and nuclides detection are required. CTBTO continues its efforts to foster integrated talent and modernize OSI equipment. Types of equipment include measurement, flight simulation equipment, and geographic information monitoring systems etcetera. KINAC is also developing equipment to detect contaminated areas using drones and probes. Development equipment is the nuclides detection and measurement of contaminated areas, and it is the equipment that prepares a control center and drops probes into suspected contamination areas to find a location of the radiation source. The probe can be used to track the location where the dose is most substantial through Bayesian estimation and source measurement.

Radioactive materials depositied after nuclear accident or radiological emergency result in radiation exposure to individuals living in long-term contaminated territories. Therefore, the remedial actions should be taken on affected areas for the evacuated residents to return to their homes and normal lifestyle. Meanwhile, radiation exposure occurs through various pathways by work types during the site clean-up. Therefore, dose assessment is crucial to protect emergency workers and helpers from the potential radiological risk. This study estimated the exposure dose to individuals decontaminating the areas contaminated with 60Co, 63Ni, 90Sr, 134Cs, 137Cs, and then calculated the maximum workable soil concentration to comply with the reference level of 20 mSv/y for transition to existing exposure situations. For the realistic assessment, the detailed exposure scenarios depending on the types of work (excavation, collection, transportation, disposal, landfill), and the relevant exposure pathways were used. In addition, with the LHS (Latin Hypercube Sampling) - PRCC (Partial Rank Correlation Coefficient) method, sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the influence of the input parameters and their variation on the model outcomes. As a result, the most severe exposure-induced type was identified as the excavator operation with an annual individual dose of 4.75E-01 mSv at the unit soil concentration (1 Bq/g), from which the derived maximum workable soil concentration was 4.21E+01 Bq/g. Dose contribution by isotopes were found to be 60Co (55.63%), 134Cs (32.01%), and 137Cs (12.28%), and the impact of 63Ni and 90Sr were found to be negligible. Dose contribution by exposure pathways decreased in the following order: ground-shine, soil ingestion, dust inhalation, and skin contamination. Furthermore, the most high sensitive input parameters and their PRCC were found to be as the dilution factor (0.75) and as the exposure time (0.63). In conclusion, the results are expected to contribute to optimize radiation protection strategeis for recovery workers and to establish appropriate response procedures to be applicable in areas with high deposition density after a radiological or nuclear emergency.

Natural uranium-contaminated soil in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) was generated by decommissioning of the natural uranium conversion facility in 2010. Some of the contaminated soil was expected to be clearance level, however the disposal cost burden is increasing because it is not classified in advance. In this study, pre-classification method is presented according to the ratio of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) and contaminated uranium in the soil. To verify the validity of the method, the verification of the uranium radioactivity concentration estimation method through γ-ray analysis results corrected by self-absorption using MCNP6.2, and the validity of the pre-classification method according to the net peak area ratio were evaluated. Estimating concentration for 238U and 235U with γ-ray analysis using HPGe (GC3018) and MCNP6.2 was verified by 􀟙-spectrometry. The analysis results of different methods were within the deviation range. Clearance screening factors (CSFs) were derived through MCNP6.2, and net peak area ratio were calculated at 295.21 keV, 351.92 keV(214Pb), 609.31 keV, 1120.28 keV, 1764.49 keV(214Bi) of to the 92.59 keV. CSFs for contaminated soil and natural soil were compared with U/Pb ratio. CSFs and radioactivity concentrations were measured, and the deviation from the 60 minute measurement results was compared in natural soil. Pre-classification is possible using by CSFs measured for more than 5 minutes to the average concentration of 214Pb or 214Bi in contaminated soil. In this study, the pre-classification method of clearance determination in contaminated soil was evaluated, and it was relatively accurate in a shorter measurement time than the method using the concentrations. This method is expected to be used as a simple pre-classification method through additional research.

In this study, four technologies were selected to treat river water, lake water, and groundwater that may be contaminated by tritium contaminated water and tritium outflow from nuclear power plants, performance evaluation was performed with a lab-scale device, and then a pilot-scale hybrid removal facility was designed. In the case of hybrid removal facilities, it consists of a pretreatment unit, a main treatment unit, and a post-treatment unit. After removing some ionic, particulate pollutants and tritium from the pretreatment unit consisting of UF, RO, EDI, and CDI, pure water (2 μS/cm) tritium contaminated water is sent to the main treatment process. In this treatment process, which is operated by combining four single process technologies using an inorganic adsorbent, a zeolite membrane, an electrochemical module and aluminumsupported ion exchange resin, the concentration of tritium can be reduced. At this time, the tritium treatment efficiency of this treatment process can be increased by improving the operation order of four single processes and the performance of inorganic adsorbents, zeolite membrane, electrochemical modules, and aluminum- supported ion exchange resins used in a single process. Therefore, in this study, as part of a study to increase the processing efficiency of the main treatment facility, the tritium removal efficiency according to the type of inorganic adsorbent was compared, and considerations were considered when operating the complex process.

Radioactive Oxide is formed on the surface of the coolant pipe of the nuclear power plant. In order to remove the oxide film that is formed on the surfaces of the coolant pipe, chemical and physical decontamination technologies are used. The disadvantage of traditional technologies is that they produce secondary radioactive wastes. Therefore, in this study, the short-pulsed laser eco-friendly technology was used in order to reduce the production of secondary radioactive wastes. It was also used to minimize the damage that was caused to the base material and to remove the contaminated oxide film. The study was carried out using a Stainless steel 304 specimen that was coated with nickel-ferrite particles. Additionally, a transport robot was 3D modeled and manufactured in order to efficiently remove the oxide film from the coolant pipe of the nuclear power plant. The transport robot has a fixed laser head to move inside the horizontal and vertical pipes. The rotating laser head removes the contaminated oxide film on the inner surface of the coolant pipe. In the future, as a condition of the 1064nm short-pulsed laser ablation technique determined by basic analysis, we plan to analyze whether the transport robot is applicable to the radiation contamination site of the nuclear power plant.

Kori-1 and Wolseong-1 nuclear power plants were permanently shut down in June 2017 and December 2019, and are currently in the preparation stage for decommissioning. In this regard, it is necessary to secure nuclear power plant decommissioning capacity in preparation for the domestic decommissioning marketplace. To address this, the Korea Research Institute of Decommissioning (KRID) was established to build a framework for the development of integrated nuclear decommissioning technology to support the nuclear decommissioning industry. The institute is currently under construction in the Busan-Ulsan border area, and a branch is planned to be established in the Gyeongju area. Recently, R&D projects have been launched to develop equipment for the demonstration and support verification of decommissioning technology. As part of the R&D project titled “Development and demonstration of the system for radioactivity measurement at the decommissioning site of a nuclear power plant”, we introduce the plan to develop a radioactivity measurement system at the decommissioning site and establish a demonstration system. The tasks include (1) measurement of soil radioactive contamination and classification system, (2) visualization system for massive dismantling of nuclear facilities, (3) automatic remote measurement equipment for surface contamination, and (4) bulk clearance verification equipment. The final goal is to develop a real-time measurement and classification system for contaminated soil at the decommissioning site, and to establish a demonstration system for nuclear power plant decommissioning. The KRID aims to contribute and support the technological independence and commercialization for domestic decommissioning sites remediation of nuclear power plant decommissioning site by establishing a field applicability evaluation system for the environmental remediation technology and equipment demonstration.

The soils contaminated with radionuclides such as Cs-137 and Sr-90 should be solidified using a binder matrix, because radioactively contaminated soils pose environmental concerns and human health problems. Ordinary Portland cement has been widely used to solidify various radioactive wastes due to its low cost and simple process. In this study, simulant soil waste was solidified using cement waste form. The soils were collected around ‘Kori Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1’ and they were contaminated with the prepared simulant liquid waste containing Fe, Cr, Cs, Ni, Co, and Mn. The water-to-dry ingredients (W/D) ratio of cement waste form was 0.40. The cement paste was poured into a cubic mold (5×5×5 cm) and then cured for 28 days at room temperature. The 28-day compressive strength, water immersion, and EPA1311-toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) tests were performed to evaluate the structural stability of cement waste form. The compressive strength was not proportional to soil waste loading, and the lowest compressive strength (4±0.1 MPa) was achieved in cement waste form containing 50wt% soil waste. After the water immersion test for 90 days, the compressive strength of cement waste form with 50wt% soil waste increased to 7.5±0.6 MPa, meeting the waste form acceptance criteria in the repository. It is believed that long-term water immersion test contributed to the additional curing and hydration reaction, resulting in the enhanced compressive strength. As a result of the TCLP test, the released amount of As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Pb, Se, Co, Cs, and Sr was less than the domestic and international standards. These results imply that cement waste form can be a promising candidate for the solidification of radioactive soil wastes.

The concrete structure of a nuclear power plant is a major safety structure that performs shielding functions to block radioactive materials and radiation, heat removal, and isolation functions. Therefore, concrete structures of nuclear power plants must prove structural safety from immediately after construction to dismantling, and a representative method for this is to investigate compressive strength. The compressive strength and specimen standards of concrete structures are specified in ASTM C 42/C 42M, and samples must be obtained through core drilling in order to collect samples according to this standard. However, commercial equipment requires anchor installation work causes radiation dust generation. Even commercial products have developed equipment that does not require anchor installation work, but it can only be applied to flat walls and cannot be applied to curved walls such as bioshields. To solve this problem, a method of fixing to the scaffolding pipe was designed. The equipment developed based on this method fundamentally blocks the generation of radioactive dust. The vertical position can be adjusted using guide shafts and jack screws, and the horizontal position can be adjusted using scaffolding clamps. In addition, the distance between the installation location and the wall can be adjusted by adjusting the scaffolding clamp location of the device. Lastly, it can be rotated to the left and right, so that even on a curved wall, the sampling position can be performed perpendicular to the wall. Core drills that take specimens for measuring compressive strength use the wet type. Core drilling by wet type in radioactively contaminated concrete leads to the disposal of sludge as radioactive waste. Water supplied during core drilling is scattered in all directions by the rotation of the core drill bit, which causes radiation exposure to workers, so measures must be taken to ensure that the water does not splash and gather in one place. Nileplant Co., Ltd. has developed a sludge collection device that can be used with a core drilling device. It can be inserted into a 4-inch core drill bit to meet the specimen regulations of ASTM C 42/C 42M, and nylon resin was used as a material to withstand friction with water, and the wall of the drainage part was thickened to increase durability. Based on these results, it is expected to be able to work more quickly and safely when collecting core drilling samples of radioactively contaminated concrete or radiation and concrete.

Nuclear weapon generates huge amount of radioactive fallout which is extremely dangerous. The fallout gradually falls to the ground and then covers every surface in city and nature. A hydrogel decontamination medium has been developed to clean the surface polluted by the fallout. The hydrogel is soluble in water so the used hydrogel can be simply removed from the surface by washing. However, significant amount of waste water, containing the radioactive fallout, is generated with this process. In this respect, it is necessary to secure alternative technical options for the used hydrogel recovery. In this study, a steam-suction process was suggested for the used hydrogel recovery. Contaminated stainless steel surface, with fixed simulated fallout particles, was prepared for test. The simulated fallout particles were obtained by high-temperature treatment of a mixture of natural soil, used concrete, and Fe2O3. The hydrogel, composed of poly-vinyl alcohol and borax, was spread onto the contaminated stainless steel surface. The hydrogel was soft at first and it gradually becomes rigid with time. The used hydrogel was recovered by suction with a simultaneous steam spraying to soften the rigid gel. As a result, the clean surface of the stainless steel without the simulated fallout particles was obtained, showing the feasibility of this technique for the used hydrogel recovery.

Japan’s government has announced plan to release the contaminated water stored from the tanks of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant site into the sea in June. The contaminated water is treated by SARRY (Cesium removal facility) and ALPS (advanced liquid processing system) to remove 62 radionuclide containing Cesium, Strontium, Iodine, and so on using filtration, precipitation (or coprecipitation) and adsorption for other nuclides (except for H-3 and C-14). The total amount of the contaminated water stored at tanks is 1,328,508 m3 (as of March 23, 2023). Currently, three ALPS systems which are existing ALPS, improved ALPS, high performance ALPS have been operated to meet the regulatory standard for release to the sea. According to the release plan, they have announced that 30 nuclides and H-3 concentration of the contaminated water will be measured and assessed before/after the discharge of the contaminated water into the sea. Before the release, the contaminated water is re-treated by reverse osmosis membrane facility and additional ALPS. And then, the water will be diluted with seawater more than 100 times. The diluted water will then move through an undersea tunnel and be released about 1 kilometer off the coast.

The rise of nuclear power plants to meet escalating global energy needs has made environmental pollution including the contamination of uranium due to improper disposal of radioactive wastewater during uranium milling and mining processes. Adsorption, a water purification method known for its fast kinetics, high selectivity, and ease of use, has emerged as a popular choice for the treatment of radioactive wastewater. In response to the critical need for the purification of radioactive wastewater contaminated with U(VI), this review provides a comprehensive summary of the various types of materials, synthetic methods, and adsorption mechanisms used for the purification process. The materials are categorized into four main groups: organic, inorganic, composite/nanomaterials, and framework materials. To enhance the adsorption capacity for U(VI), researchers have explored physical and chemical modifications as well as the development of organic-inorganic hybrids. The improved adsorption performance resulting from these modifications is mostly attributed to electrostatic interaction, surface complexation, and ion exchange mechanisms. However, despite the present understanding of the processes involved, further research is still needed to fully determine the optimal approach for purifying contaminated radioactive wastewater.