ROK Navy Landing Ship Fast(LSF-II) is equipped with special equipment that is not compatible with other combat ships due to special missions. So there are almost no maintenance capabilities except for simple repair parts replacement and maintenance parts. The researcher determined that the way to solve these problems was to apply Performance Based Logistics (PBL), and reviewed the cases of PBL applications abroad and domestically. To confirm the current maintenance capability, we visited LSF-II operation unit to identify maintenance capabilities for each mounted equipment, and interviews with operators and maintenance practitioners confirmed the limitations of outsourcing maintenance and the need to apply PBL. In order to analyze the effect of PBL application, the measure of effectiveness and measure of performance were selected based on the opinions of LSF-II operation/maintenance practitioners and PBL experts and the practical experience of this researcher. A survey was conducted on operation/maintenance practitioners and professional personnel. Based on the survey results, the effect of applying PBL was analyzed using the AHP technique, and an efficient PBL application plan was proposed for LSF-II.

기존의 스타크래프트II 내장AI는 미리 정의한 행동 패턴을 따르기 때문에 사용자가 전략을 쉽게 파악할 수 있어 사용자의 흥미를 오랫동안 유지시키기 힘들다. 이를 해결하기 위해, 많은 강화학습 기반의 스타크래프 트II AI 연구가 진행되었다. 그러나 기존의 강화학습AI는 승률에만 중점을 두고 에이전트를 학습시킴으로써 소수의 유닛을 사용하거나 정형화 된 전략만을 사용하여 여전히 사용자들이 게임의 재미를 느끼기에 한계가 존재한다. 본 논문에서는 게임의 재미를 향상시키기 위하여, 강화학습을 활용하여 실제 플레이어와 유사한 AI을 제안한다. 에이전트에게 스타크래프트II의 상성표를 학습시키고, 정찰한 정보로 보상을 부여해 유동적 으로 전략을 변경하도록 한다. 실험 결과, 사용자가 느끼는 재미와 난이도, 유사도 부분에서 고정된 전략을 사용하는 에이전트보다 본 논문에서 제안하는 에이전트가 더 높은 평가를 받았다..

전쟁 시 각국은 고대로부터 마비전을 추구하여 적의 중심을 지향하여 최소의 희생으로 승리하고자 하였다. 또한 특수작전부대는 합동작전의 핵심부대로 각국은 특수작전부대를 증가하고 있는 추세이다. 따라서 본 연구의 목적은 전쟁양상의 변화와 더불어 마비전이 진화함에 따라 전쟁 시 마비전 사례분석을 통해 특수작전부대의 역할을 도출하고, 미래 다영역 작전 시 마비전 수행을 위한 특수작전부대의 운용방향을 제시하는 데 있 다. 연구 방법은 문헌연구를 통한 질적연구와 사례를 분석 후 비교하였다. 연구범위는 제2차 세계대전으로부터 걸프전, 이라크전을 분석하였고 미래 운용방향은 미국의 다영역작전 시 특수작전부대 운용을 연구하여 한국군에 적용하였다. 연구 결과, 마비전은 초기의 물리적 마비로부터 물리적 마비 +체계무력화+심리적 마비로 진화하며 발전하였고, 특수작전부대는 마비 전 수행에 결정적으로 기여하였으며 그 중요성은 더욱 증가하고 있음을 확인할 수 있었다. 따라서 한국군 특수작전부대는 미래 다영역작전에서 도 마비전을 수행하기 위해 지속적인 마비전 수행개념과 이를 위한 조직 편성 및 무기체계의 발전이 요구되고 있다.

Along with other heavy metals, arsenic (As) is one among the substances most harmful to living organisms including humans. Owing to its morphological similarity to phosphorus, the uptake of As is influenced by photosynthesis and the phosphorus uptake pathway. In this study, we varied arsenic exposure and light intensity during nutrient solution cultivation of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) to determine the effect of these two factors on arsenic uptake, lettuce growth, and electron transfer in photosystem II. In the treatment exposed to 30 μmol L-1 of arsenic, the shoot arsenic concentration increased from 4.73 mg kg-1 to 18.97 mg kg-1 as the light intensity increased from 22 to 122 μmol m-2 s-1. The water content and ET2o/RC of the shoots were not affected by arsenic at low light intensity; however, at optimal light intensity, they decreased progressively with arsenic exposure. Increased light intensity stimulated the growth of plant roots and shoots; contrarily, the difference in growth decreased as the concentration of As exposure increased. The results of this study suggest that the effect of As on plant growth is dependent on light intensity; in particular, an increase in light intensity can increase the uptake of As, thereby affecting plant growth and As toxicity.

This study aimed to develop a solid self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (solid-SNEDDS) to enhance the formulation of ketoconazole (KTZ), a BCS Class II drug with poor solubility. Ketoconazole, which is insoluble above pH 3, requires solubilization for effective delivery. This SNEDDS comprises oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant, which spontaneously emulsify in the gastrointestinal tract environment to form nanoemulsions with droplet sizes less than 100 nm. The optimal SNE-vehicle composition of oleic acid, TPGS, and PEG 400 at a 10:80:10 weight ratio was determined based on the smallest droplet size achieved. This composition was used to prepare liquid SNEDDS containing ketoconazole. The droplet size and polydispersity index (PDI) of the resulting liquid SNEDDS were analyzed. Subsequently, solid-SNEDDS was fabricated using a spray-drying method with solidifying carriers such as silicon dioxide, crospovidone, and magnesium alumetasilicate. The physicochemical properties of the solid-SNEDDS were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction, and its solubility, droplet size, and PDI were evaluated. In particular, the solid-SNEDDS containing ketoconazole and crospovidone in a 2:1 weight ratio exhibited significantly enhanced solubility, highlighting its potential for improved medication adherence and dissolution rates.

Hypertension caused by high-fat and high-salt diets is is a well-known significant risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. In this study, to confirm the relationship between hypertension and immune cells, angiotensin (Ang) II was administered to Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) rats and Dahl salt-resistant (SR) rats. Then the expression of immune cells and the proinflammatory cytokines were compared between the SS and SR rats. It was observed that after administration of Ang II (50ng/kg/min) for three weeks, blood pressure was increased in the SS rats, but there was no significant change in the SR rats. In addition, the expression of T helper (Th) cells and Th 17 cells in the spleen and the expression of Th cell Rorγt and regulatory T regulatory (Treg) cells in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells did not show a significant difference between the two experimental groups even after the administration of Ang II.IL-1β expression was significantly increased in the kidney tissue of the SS rats, while there was no significant difference in the IL-6 expression in all the experimental groups. The results of this study suggest that Ang II induces hypertension by stimulating IL-1β secretion from renal macrophage in SS rats.

PURPOSES : This study aims to perform a quantitative analysis of Forward Collision Warning and crash frequency using heavy vehicle driving data collected in expressway driving environments, and to classify the driving environments where Forward Collision Warnings of heavy vehicles occur for accident-prone areas and analyze their occurrence characteristics. METHODS : A bivariate Gaussian mixture model based on inter-vehicle distance gap and speed-acceleration parameters is used to classify the environment in which Forward Collision Warning occurs for heavy vehicles driving on expressways. For this analysis, Probe Vehicle Data of 80 large trucks collected by C-ITS devices of Korea Expressway Corporation from May to June 2022. Combined with accident information from the past five years, a detailed analysis of the classified driving environments is conducted. RESULTS : The results of the clustering analysis categorizes Forward Collision Warning environments into three groups: Group I (highdensity, high-speed), Group II (high-density, low-speed), and Group III (low-density, high-speed). It reveals a positive correlation between Forward Collision Warning frequency and accident rates at these points, with Group I prevailing. Road characteristics at sites with different accident incidences showed that on-ramps and toll gates had high occurrences of both accidents and warnings. Furthermore, acceleration deviation at high-accident sites was significant across all groups, with variable speed deviations noted for each warning group. CONCLUSIONS : The Forward Collision Warning of heavy vehicles on expressways is classified into three types depending on the driving environment, and the results of these environmental classifications can be used as a basis for building a road environment that reduces the risk of crashes for heavy vehicles.

Air conditioner filters purify the air of indoor environments by removing air pollutants and supporting the efficiency of the unit’s cooling function. However, an air conditioner filter can become a microenvironment in which some fungi can grow as dust continues to accumulate and favorable humidity conditions are formed. Fungal growth in air conditioner filters could lead to fungal allergies or fungal diseases, in addition to emitting a foul odor. In an effort to understand what species causes this malodorous problem, we investigated the diversity of fungi found in air conditioners. Fungi were sampled from the collected air conditioner filters and grown on DG18 agar media. After purification for pure isolates, species identification was undertaken. Colony morphology was observed on PDA, MEA, CYA, and OA media. Microstructures of fruiting body, mycelia, and spores were examined using a light microscope. Molecular identification was performed by PCR and sequencing of PCR amplicons, and molecular phylogenetic analysis of sequenced DNA markers, including the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS), the 28S large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA (LSU rDNA), the β-tubulin (BenA) gene, the Calmodulin (CaM) gene, and the DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (RPB2) gene. Through this identification process, we found two fungal species, Aspergillus miraensis and Dichotomopilus ramosissimus, which are unrecorded species in Korea. We will now report their morphological and molecular features.

본고는 『헨리 6세』 2부와 3부가 가부장제의 이념을 바탕으로 남녀 간의 뚜렷한 역할 구분에 기초하고 있다고 보고 전통적인 성 역할에 따르지 않는 마가렛과 같은 여성의 양상을 살핀다. 주로 마가렛의 용맹성, 전투력과 성적 매력과 방종이 주변 남성 인물의 가부장적인 가치에 대립되는 모습을 추적한다. 마가렛과 일리노어 등이 권력을 추구하는 과정에서 남성들, 특히 영국 남성을 대표하는 기사도적 영웅들과 대항하는 양상을 보이는데 이 여성 전사들이 대표하는 가치가 어떻게 남성들의 이상적 영웅주의나 부자간의 혈연 중심 관계에 대립하는지도 살핀다. 일부 남성 인물들이 감정에 치중하는 연인의 모습을 보이며 남성간의 유대를 약화시키는 결과에 이르는 아이러니한 상황 또한 살펴본다. 남성들이 이들 여성과 관련하여 남성성을 잃게 되는 과정을 분석함으로써 『헨리 6세』 2부와 3부에 담긴 가부장제의 양상과 여성 전사의 전복적 힘을 충실히 고찰하고자 한다.

In this paper, an alternative inventory policy that trades off the bullwhip effect at an upstream facility with cost minimization at a current facility, with the goal of reducing system wide total expected inventory costs, when external demand distributjon is autocorrelated, is considered. The alternative inventory policy has a form that is somewhere between one that completely neglects the autocorrleation and one that actively utilizes the autocorrelation. For this purpose, a mathematical model that allows us to evaluate system wide total expected inventory costs for a periodic review system is developed. This model enables us to identify an optimal inventory policy at a current facility that minimizes system wide total expected inventory costs by the best tradeoff of the bullwhip effect at an upstream facility with cost minimization at a current facility. From numerical experiments, it has been found that (i) when the autocorrelation is negative, the optimal policy is one that actively utilizes the autocorrelation, (ii) when the autocorrelation is small and positive, the optimal policy is one that neglects the autocorrelation, and (iii) when the autocorrelation is large and positive, the optimal policy is somewhere between one that actively utilizes the autocorrelation and one that neglect the autocorrelation.

This paper attempts to show that the word sì 巳(祀) used after the negative wù 勿 or wú 毋 functions as a “Vintransitive” (all the abbreviations and references used in this paper are given at the end of Part I). As such, it forms a VP, 勿/毋V1V2, where V2 is always one of the six “Type-A ritual Vs”—one being dăo 禱 ‘to pray’, the rest given in the paper. The semantic relationship between V1 (巳/祀) and V2 is closely examined. There are also inscriptions in which V1 is used before yú 于, a “multidirectional” preposition. This is labelled as “Nloc in the sense of ‘in, at’ (not ‘to, for’)” in the construction given in the title. The paper accounts for its motive principle. The paper argues that 巳/祀 is a Vaction meaning “conduct sì-providential ritual”. It was done at a place to seek divine direction and guidance from the deity or Power believed to have dwelt in situ. Originally presented in Takashima (2009a), this paper delves further into linguistic, philological, and cultural aspects of the 巳-ritual couched in the VP, 勿/毋V1(=巳/祀)V2. A major reason for its use is to contrast the 巳-ritual with other rituals and sacrifices. The details will be explained with examples. Part I covers “Examination I: Zhū Shēngyù’s Questions and Zhāng Yùjīn’s Interpretation”. The paper answers the former and evaluates the latter. Part II begins with “Examination II: Qiú Xīguī’s Interpretation” and ends with the conclusions of the entire paper.

In this study, we detected the presence of residual pesticides in 341 agricultural products collected from local food outlets in western Gyeonggi Province. Residual pesticides were detected in 105 (30.8%) samples. Six samples exceeded the legal limits for residual pesticides, resulting in a non-compliance rate of 1.8%, which was slightly higher than the average non-compliance rate of 1.4% in the last three years. Among the tested agricultural products, only fruits and vegetables were found to have pesticide residues, with 24 of 34 fruits (a detection rate of 70.6%) and 81 of 277 vegetables (a detection rate of 29.2%) testing positive. In total, 59 types of pesticides, including acetamiprid, which was detected 208 times, were detected and had a detection range of 0.01–2.38 mg/kg. Among the 105 agricultural products containing pesticide residues, a single pesticide was detected in 62 samples (59%) and two or more pesticides were detected in 43 samples (41%). In particular, 14 pesticides were detected in the same sample of peaches; dinotefuran was detected 21 times. Upon examining the toxicity of the detected pesticides, Class III pesticides (moderate toxicity) were detected 44 times (21.2%) and Class IV pesticides (low toxicity) were detected 164 times (78.8%). Class I, II, and III pesticides with fish toxicity were detected 68 (32.7%), 14 (6.7%), and 126 times (60.6%), respectively. Upon examining the exposure to high-frequency pesticide components detected five or more times, the hazard index was found to be ≤2.8%. Accordingly, the hazard of residual pesticides based on dietary intake was deemed insignificant.

After the Fukushima accident in 2011, relevant concerns regarding the contamination of the natural environment rose abruptly. For example, water contaminated by radionuclides such as Cs and Sr may directly flow into the ocean and threaten the marine ecosystem. In this respect, costeffective and efficient decontamination techniques need to be developed and verified to remediate the contaminated water. Prussian blue (PB) is known as a representative material that can adsorb Cs by ion-trapping and is widely used for medical purposes. However, there is a limitation that PB itself is non-separable and highly mobile in aqueous system, so it needs a fixture, such as bentonite, to be collected after the adsorption. Furthermore, while the performance of PB toward Cs is relatively well known, its behavior toward Sr has rarely been reported. The object of this study is to investigate the sorption characteristics of Cs and Sr onto PB-functionalized bentonite at various conditions. The adsorbent employed in the present work was prepared by mixing bentonite, FeCl3, and K4[Fe(CN)6] at room temperature for 24 hours in the aqueous solution. The concentrations of FeCl3 and K4[Fe(CN)6] were set to a range of 5-200 % compared to the cation exchange capacity of bentonite. After that, the PB-functionalized bentonite was sieved with a mesh size of 63 μm and then reacted with the Cs and Sr solution at various liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratios of 2-10 g/L for up to 500 minutes. Moreover, synthetic seawater containing additional Cs and Sr was reacted with PBfunctionalized bentonite to characterize the ion selectivity of PB. After the completion of the adsorption experiment, a part of the adsorbent was separated and desorption of Cs and Sr with 2 M of nitric acid was performed. For the quantification of aqueous Cs and Sr concentrations, ICP-MS was employed after the filtration with a pore size of 0.45 μm. The result obtained in this study revealed a high sorption affinity of Cs and Sr onto PBfunctionalized bentonite. The analysis results also presented that the sorption reactions of Cs and Sr reached their steady state within 10 minutes of reaction time. Furthermore, the ion selectivity toward Cs and Sr was verified through sorption test with synthetic seawater. According to the high sorption affinity and selectivity, the PB-functionalized bentonite synthesized through this study is expected to be widely used for remediating the Cs- and Sr-contaminated groundwater and seawater, particularly in nuclear waste-relevant industries.

During the operation of a nuclear power plant (NPP), corrosion products called CRUD (Chalk River unidentified deposit) accumulate on the surface of the primary system. The CRUD components of pressurized light water reactors or heavy water reactors, represented by (NixFe1-x)(FeyCr1-y)2O4, are composed of Fe3O4, NiFe2O4, FeCr2O4, NiCr2O4, etc. Radionuclide such as Co-60 are deposited within this CRUD, so the entire deposited material must be dissolved and removed for decontamination. Chemical decontamination has the advantage of being able to decontaminate a wide metal surface, but has the disadvantage of generating a large amount of secondary waste. Recently, chemical decontamination methods that add an electrodynamic process are being studied to overcome these shortcomings. This technology is a method of dissolving CRUD by applying an electric field in the anodic compartment of a cell separated by CEM. It is a method of accelerating CRUD dissolution by generating a large amount of hydrogen ions in the anodic compartment. Dissolved metal ions pass through the CEM (cation exchange membrane) and move to the cathodic compartment (pH > 12), where they are removed by adsorption or precipitation process. Therefore, the speciation characteristics between decontamination agent (oxalic acid) and metal ions are very important. In this study, we investigated the speciation characteristics of Fe(II), Ni(II), Co(II) - oxalate, which are important complex species in CRUD dissolution cells. The thermodynamic equilibrium constant for hydrolysis of each ion and of M(II)-oxalate were collected and speciation characteristics were analyzed using the MINEQL 5.0 program. From the speciation characteristics of M(II)-oxalate, effective radionuclide removal methods in an electrodynamic cell were considered.

Radionuclides in low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes from the decommissioning process of nuclear power plants were generally immobilized by cementation methods. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), which is extensively used as a decontamination agent, can affect the behaviors of radionuclides immobilized in cement waste forms. In this study, the effects of EDTA contained in simulated radioactive decommissioning wastes on the leaching characteristics of immobilized Co and Cs and the microstructure evolution of cement waste form. Co leaching was accelerated by the formation of Co–EDTA complexes with high mobility and solubility. Cs leaching was hindered by the ion competition with other metal–EDTA complexes for releasing from the cement waste form. Cs leaching was also retarded by carbonated layer at edge of the cement waste form, which process is facilitated by the presence of EDTA. Finally, the effects of EDTA on the leaching characteristics of immobilized Cs and Co and the microstructure evolution of the cement waste form should be considered to ensure the safety of disposal for lowand intermediate-level radioactive wastes.

The potentiostatic titration method is one of the effective methods for determining the total uranium assay in high-concentration uranium samples. A notable approach is the Devies-Grey titration method, which was first reported in 1964. In the U sample treatment process of this method, the reduction of U(VI) by Fe(II) is initially a non-spontaneous reaction based on the reduction potentials of the two half-reactions. However, in a high-concentration phosphoric acid medium, the reduction potential of Fe(II) is enhanced, simultaneously increasing the reduction potential of U(VI). As a result, the redox reaction becomes spontaneous due to these dual effects. On the other hand, the reaction kinetics can elucidate why nitric acid does not oxidize U(IV) during the oxidation of Fe(II) to Fe(III). Furthermore, the role of Mo(VI)/Mo(V) as a redox enhancer, employed alongside nitric acid, can be comprehended through electrochemical means. Similarly, the function of V(IV) as an electrochemical enhancer, aiding the action of the Cr(VI) titrant, becomes understandable. Grasping the various phenomena that manifest during the titration process is imperative for refining existing titration methods and pioneering new ones.

The need for the development of sustainable, efficient, and green radioactive waste disposal methods is emerging with the saturation of spent nuclear waste storage facilities in the Republic of Korea. Conventional radioactive waste management methods like using cement or glass have drawbacks such as high porosity, less chemical stability, high energy consumption, carbon dioxide production, and the generation of secondary wastes, etc. To address this gigantic issue of the planet, we have designed a study to explore the potential of alternative materials having easy processability, low carbon emissions and more chemical stability such as ceramic (hydroxyapatite, HAP) and alkali-activated materials (geopolymers, GP) to capture the simulated radioactive cobalt ions from the contaminated water and directly solidify them at low temperatures. Physical and mechanical properties of HAP alone and 15wt% GP incorporated HAP (HAP-GP- 15) composite were studied and compared. The surface of both materials was fully sorbed with an excess amount of Co(II) ions in the aqueous system. Co(II) sorbed powders were separated from aqueous media using a centrifuge machine operating at 5,000 RPM for 10 minutes and dried at 100°C for 8 hours. The dried powders were then placed in stainless steel molds, and shaped into cylindrical pellets using a uniaxial press at a pressure of 1 metric ton for 1 minute. The pellets were sintered at 1,100°C for 2 hours at a heating rate of 10°C/min. Following this, the water absorption, density, porosity, and compressive strength of the polished pellets were measured using standard methods. Results showed that HAP has a greater potential for decontamination and solidification of Co(II) due to its higher density (2.65 g/cm3 > 1.90 g/cm3), less open porosity (16.2±2.9% < 42.4 ±0.9%) and high compressive strength (82.1±10.2 MPa > 6.9±0.8 MPa) values at 1,100°C compared to that of HAP-GP-15. Nevertheless, further study with different constituent ratio of HAP and GP at various temperatures is required to fully optimize the HAP-GP matrix for waste solidifications.

Most of the C-14 produced is in the organic form, generated as methane (14CH4), methanol (14CH3OH), formaldehyde (14CH2O), and formic acid (14CO2H2). When analyzing C-14, it is transformed into the form of 14CO2, and its concentration is determined using LSC. Typical examples include the wet oxidation method, the combustion or Pyrolysis. The wet oxidation method uses strong acids and involves repeated operations, which generates large amounts of acid waste and secondary radioactive waste. The combustion method uses high temperatures, which requires an oxygen device. Pyrolysis also requires high temperature in a vacuum and catalysts. Catalysts are expensive because they are platinum-based. To compensate for these shortcomings, a C-14 analysis method using UV irradiation was developed. In this study, 100 mL of distilled water mixed with formic acid (CO2H2), potassium persulfate (K2S2O8), and silver nitrate (AgNO3) was irradiated with a 320-390 nm UV lamp to conduct a CO2 production reaction experiment. The UV range was measured using a photometer (UV Power puck II). The beaker was made of quartz in 150 mL size with three inlets : a temperature measurement, a sample inlet, and a collection tube connector. We changed the UV lamp used from a 450 W halogen lamp to a 100 W LED, which has a lower temperature and is safer. As a result of the experiment, CO2 bubbles were generated in the collection tube, due to the UV irradiation react, which uses oxidizer and catalysts. The maximum temperature of the solution irradiated with the LED UV lamp was less than 56°C. It confirmed the rate of bubble generation changed depending on the lamp distance, the amount of sample, oxidizer, and catalyst. In an experiment to confirm the reaction caused by heat, it was found that although a reaction occurred due to heat, the reaction was significantly lower than when using a UV lamp. The reproducibility experiment was conducted three times in total under the same conditions. It showed the same pattern. In the future, we plan to select mock samples, collect 14CO2 in Carbo- Sorb, and analyze them using LSC. The results of this research will be used as a technology to recover C-14 more safely and efficiently and will also be used to expand its application to the treatment of other wastes such as waste liquid and waste resin through simulated samples.

Chelating agents, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) are widely used in industry and agriculture as water softeners, detergents, and metal chelating agents. In wastewater treatment plants, a significant amount of chelating agents can be discharged into natural waters because they are difficult to degrade. Since those compounds affect the mobility of radionuclides or heavy metals in decontamination operations at nuclear facilities and radioactive waste disposal, quantification of the amount of ligand is very important for safe nuclear waste management. To predict the behavior of the main complexation in sample matrices of radioactive wastes, it is essential to evaluate the distribution of the metal-chelating species and their stabilities in order to develop analytical techniques for quantifying chelating agents. We have investigated to collect information on the pH speciation of metal chelation and the stability constants of metal complexes depending on three chelating agents (EDTA, DTPA, and NTA). For example, Zhang’s group recently reported that the initial coordination pH of Cu(II) and EDTA4− is delayed with the addition of Fe(III), and the pH range for the stable existence of [Cu(EDTA)]2− is narrowed compared to when it is alone in the sample matrix. The addition of Fe(III) clearly impacts the chemical states of the Cu(II)-EDTA solution. Additionally, Eivazihollagh’s group demonstrated differences in the speciation and stability of Cu(II) species between Cu(II) and three chelating ligands (EDTA, DTPA, and NTA). This study will be greatly helpful in identifying the sample matrix for binding major chelating agents and metals as well as developing chemically sample pretreatment and separation methods based on the sample matrix. Finally, these advancements will enable reliable quantitative analysis of chelating agents in decommissioning radioactive wastes.

In all geodisposal scenarios it is key to understand the interaction of radionuclides with mineral particles during their formation/recrystallisation. Studying processes at the molecular scale provides insight into long-term radionuclide behaviour. Uranium is a significant radionuclide in higher activity wastes destined for geological disposal, and iron (oxyhydr) oxides (e.g. goethite, 􀟙-FeOOH). are ubiquitous in and around these systems, formed via processes including metal corrosion and microbially induced reactions. There are numerous reports of uranium-incorporation into iron (oxyhydr) oxides, therefore it has been suggested that they may be a barrier to uranium migration in geodisposal systems. However, long-term stability of these phases during environmental perturbations are unexplored. Specifically, U-incorporated iron (oxyhydr) oxide phases may interact with Fe(II) and sulphide from biological or geological origin. Firstly, electron transfer occurs between adsorbed Fe(II) and iron oxyhydroxides, with potential for changes in the speciation of incorporated uranium e.g. oxidation state changes and/or release. Secondly, on exposure to aqueous sulfide, iron (oxyhydr) oxides undergo reductive dissolution and recrystallisation to iron sulphides. Understanding the fate of incorporated uranium during these process in key to understanding its long term behaviour in subsurface systems. A series of experimental studies were undertaken where U(VI)-goethite was synthesized then reacted with either aqueous Fe(II) or S(-II), and the system monitored over time using geochemical analysis and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) techniques e.g. U LIII-edge and MIV-edge HERFD-XANES. Reaction with aqueous Fe(II) resulted in electron transfer between Fe(II) and U(VI)-goethite, with > 50% U(VI) reduced to U(V). XAS analysis revealed that U remained within the goethite structure, and electron transfer only occurred within the outermost atomic layers of goethite. which led to U reduction. Rapid reductive dissolution of U(VI)-goethite occurred on reaction with sulfide at pH7. A transient release of aqueous U was observed during the first day, likely due to uranyl(VI)-persulfide species. However, U was retained in the solid phase in the longer term. In contrast, the sulfidation of U adsorbed to ferrihydrite at pH 12.2 led to the immediate release of U (< 10% Utotal) associated with a colloidal erdite (NaFeS2·2H2O) phase. Moreover, in the bulk phase the surface of ferrihydrite was passivated by sulfide, and U was found to have been trapped within surface associated erdite-like fibres. Overall, these studies further understanding of the long-term behaviour of U-incorporated iron (oxyhydr)oxides supporting the overarching concept of iron (oxyhydr) oxides acting as a barrier to U migration.