A Study on the Decontamination of Cs-137 and Sr-90 Contained in the Liquid Radioactive Waste Discharged from the Spent Fuel Storage Tank Using Microalgae

Tae Young Kim; Hye Min Park; Yang Soo Song; Un Jang Lee

doi:10.7844/kirr.2022.31.5.20

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2022 Vol.31, Issue 5 Preview Page Next Page

Research Paper

A Study on the Decontamination of Cs-137 and Sr-90 Contained in the Liquid Radioactive Waste Discharged from the Spent Fuel Storage Tank Using Microalgae 미세조류를 이용한 사용후핵연료 저장조에서 배출되는 방사성 폐액에 함유된 Cs-137 및 Sr-90 제염에 관한 연구

31 October 2022. pp. 20-25

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Abstract

In this study, the applicability of microalgae was evaluated for eco-friendly decontamination of cesium-137 (Cs-137) and strontium-90 (Sr-90), which are radioactive nuclides contained in radioactive waste. The monolithic radioactive solution used in the experiment was manufactured at a concentration of 1.5 Bq/mL Cs-137 and 1.0 Bq/mL Sr-90 by diluting a standard radioactive solution and distilled water. This experiment used two types of microalgae, Chlorella Vulgaris was used for Sr-90 decontamination and Hematococcus pluvialis for Cs-137 decontamination. The experimental method is to put the microalgae cultured for 2 weeks into a bottle with a semi-permeable membrane, and then put the bottle in which the microalgae was put into the manufactured radioactive solution, so that the microalgae and the radioactive solution react through the semi-permeable membrane for 48 hours. For the radioactivity concentration analysis of each sample, a gamma-ray nuclide analyzer was used for Cs-137, a γ-ray isotope, and a Liquid Scintillation Count(LSC) was used for Sr-90, a β-ray isotope. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that about 88.0 % of Cs-137 and about 89.7 % of Sr-90 could be decontaminated, and about 98.6 % of Sr-90 was finally able to be decontaminated by the two-stage decontamination method.

Keywords

Microalgae

Spent Nuclear Fuel

Cesium

Strontium

Decontamination

본 연구에서는 방사성 폐액내 포함된 방사성 핵종인 세슘-137(Cs-137) 및 스트론튬-90(Sr-90)의 친환경적인 제염을 위해 미세조류의 적용 가능성을 평가하였다. Cs-137 및 Sr-90이 각각 함유된 일원계 표준 방사성 용액과 3차 증류수를 희석하여 1.5 Bq/mL Cs-137, 1.0 Bq/mL Sr-90 농도로 제조한 뒤 실험에 사용하였다. 미세조류는 2종을 사용했으며, Sr-90 제염에는 Chlorella Vulgaris를 사용하였고, Cs-137 제염에는 Hematococcus pluvialis를 사용하여 실험을 수행하였다. 실험 방법은 2주 간 배양된 미세조류를 반투과막이 부착된 병에 투입한 뒤, 미세조류가 투입된 병을 제조된 방사성 용액에 투입하여, 반투과막을 통해 미세조류와 방사성 용액이 48 시간 동안 반응하도록 하였다. 각 시료에 대한 방사능 농도 분석은 γ선 동위원소인 Cs-137은 감마선 핵종 분석기를 사용하였고, β선 동위원소인 Sr-90은 액체섬광계수기(LSC: Liquid Scintillation Count)를 사용하였다. 실험 결과, Cs-137은 약 88.0 %, Sr-90은 약 89.7 % 제염이 가능함을 확인하였으며, Sr-90은 2단 제염 방법에 의해 최종적으로 약 98.6 % 제염이 가능하였다.

키워드

미세조류

사용후핵연료

세슘

스트론튬

제염

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Information

Publisher :The Korean Institute of Resources Recycling
Publisher(Ko) :한국자원리싸이클링학회
Journal Title :Resources Recycling
Journal Title(Ko) :자원리싸이클링
Volume : 31
No :5
Pages :20-25
Received Date : 2022-08-05
Revised Date : 2022-09-22
Accepted Date : 2022-09-27
DOI :https://doi.org/10.7844/kirr.2022.31.5.20

Resources Recycling ISSN:2765-3439(Print) 2765-3447(Online) 자원리싸이클링

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