Development of an iron(II) complex exhibiting thermal- and photoinduced double proton-transfer-coupled spin transition in a short hydrogen bond

Nakanishi, Takumi*; Hori, Yuta*; Shigeta, Yasuteru*; Sato, Hiroyasu*; Kiyanagi, Ryoji; Munakata, Koji*; Ohara, Takashi; Okazawa, Atsushi*; Shimada, Rintaro*; Sakamoto, Akira*; et al.

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 145(35), p.19177 - 19181, 2023/08

https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.3c06323

Factors regulating the concentration of particulate iodine in coastal seawater

Sato, Yuhi*; Otosaka, Shigeyoshi*; Suzuki, Takashi; Nakanishi, Takahiro

Limnology and Oceanography, 68(7), p.1580 - 1594, 2023/07

https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12369

To investigate the factors regulating the concentration of particulate iodine (PI) in seawater, it was measured in two Pacific coastal areas adjacent to Japan in two seasons along with parameters such as particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PON), dissolved iodine (DI), and phytoplankton pigments. The dataset was divided in three groups namely, lower (Group A), average (Group B), and higher (Group C) atomic ratios of PI to POC (I/C). The three groups were characterized by phytoplanktonic physiological states as highly productive, steady, and senescent states, respectively. Based on the finding that PI production is associated with the phytoplankton physiological state, the seasonal and regional differences in PI concentration and I/C in the observation areas were consistently explained. Finally, we suggest that the phytoplanktonic physiological state is one of the vital factors regulating the PI concentration in seawater.

Observation of proton-transfer-coupled spin transition by single-crystal neutron-diffraction measurement

Nakanishi, Takumi*; Hori, Yuta*; Shigeta, Yasuteru*; Sato, Hiroyasu*; Wu, S.-Q.*; Kiyanagi, Ryoji; Munakata, Koji*; Ohara, Takashi; Sato, Osamu*

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 25(17), p.12394 - 12400, 2023/05

https://doi.org/10.1039/D3CP00527E

Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors

Ohshima, Hiroyuki; Morishita, Masaki*; Aizawa, Kosuke; Ando, Masanori; Ashida, Takashi; Chikazawa, Yoshitaka; Doda, Norihiro; Enuma, Yasuhiro; Ezure, Toshiki; Fukano, Yoshitaka; et al.

Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors; JSME Series in Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation, Vol.3, 631 Pages, 2022/07

https://shop.elsevier.com/books/sodium-cooled-fast-reactors/morishita/978-0-12-824076-2

This book is a collection of the past experience of design, construction, and operation of two reactors, the latest knowledge and technology for SFR designs, and the future prospects of SFR development in Japan. It is intended to provide the perspective and the relevant knowledge to enable readers to become more familiar with SFR technology.

Stabilization treatment of Pu-bearing organic materials

Morishita, Kazuki; Sato, Takumi; Onishi, Takashi; Seki, Takayuki*; Sekine, Shinichi*; Okitsu, Yuichi*

JAEA-Technology 2021-024, 27 Pages, 2021/10

JAEA-Technology-2021-024.pdf:2.41MB

In the case of Plutonium (Pu)-bearing organic materials, organic materials are decomposed by alpha rays emitted mainly from Pu to generate hydrogen gas and other substances. Therefore, to safely store Pu-bearing organic materials for an extended period of time, organic materials must be eliminated. In addition, carbide and nitride fuels must be converted into oxides for safe storage in order to prevent the exothermal reaction of these fuels with oxygen/moisture in air. A survey of the literature on the stabilization treatment of Pu-bearing organic materials confirmed that organic materials can be decomposed and removed by heating at 950 C (1223.15 K) or greater in air. Furthermore, based on the calculated thermodynamic parameters of oxidation reaction of carbide and nitride fuels in air, it was estimated that these fuels would be oxidized in air at 950 C because the equilibrium oxygen partial pressure in the oxidation reaction at 950 C was lower than 2.110 Pa (oxygen partial pressure in air). Therefore, it was decided to stabilize Pu-bearing organic materials by heating at 950 C in air to remove the organic materials and oxidize the carbide and nitride fuels. As a mock-up test to remove the organic materials, thin sheets of epoxy resin were heated in air. The changes in appearance and weight before and after heating in air showed that organic materials can be removed. After the mock-up test, Pu-bearing organic materials were also stabilized by heating in the similar condition.

Summary results of subsidy program for the "Project of Decommissioning and Contaminated Water Management (Development of Analysis and Estimation Technology for Characterization of Fuel Debris (Development of Technologies for Enhanced Analysis Accuracy and Thermal Behavior Estimation of Fuel Debris))"

Koyama, Shinichi; Nakagiri, Toshio; Osaka, Masahiko; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Kurata, Masaki; Ikeuchi, Hirotomo; Maeda, Koji; Sasaki, Shinji; Onishi, Takashi; Takano, Masahide; et al.

Hairo, Osensui Taisaku jigyo jimukyoku Homu Peji (Internet), 144 Pages, 2021/08

https://dccc-program.jp/3797

JAEA performed the subsidy program for the "Project of Decommissioning and Contaminated Water Management (Development of Analysis and Estimation Technology for Characterization of Fuel Debris (Development of Technologies for Enhanced Analysis Accuracy and Thermal Behavior Estimation of Fuel Debris))" in 2020JFY. This presentation summarized briefly the results of the project, which will be available shortly on the website of Management Office for the Project of Decommissioning and Contaminated Water Management.

Distribution and settling behavior of americium-241 in the tropical East Pacific

Kinoshita, Norikazu*; Nagaoka, Mika; Nakanishi, Takashi*

Science of the Total Environment, 753, p.142087_1 - 142087_10, 2021/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142087

The distribution of the anthropogenic radionuclide americium-241 (Am), a decay product of Pu discharged from atmospheric tests of nuclear weapons, was investigated to resolve its horizontal and vertical migration in the Tropical East Pacific. We analyzed Am concentrations in seawater samples collected in 2003. On comparing the Am concentrations with the previously determined concentrations of Pu in the same samples, the vertical profiles of Am were found to be similar to those of Pu. At some stations, the maximum concentration of Am occurred 100-200 m deeper than that of Pu. The Am/Pu ratios in the North Pacific and South Pacific were comparable to one another, and were typical of the ratio for the Pacific. The Am distribution was influenced by the water mass at depths below 400 m. The Am data support the view there is a current flowing at depths of 400-3000 m from the North Pacific through the equator to the South Pacific. In addition, the Am vertical profile was explained by using a box model that considers the decay of Pu and adsorption and scavenging by suspended particles. The different depths for the maximum concentrations of Am and Pu observed at some stations were well explained by the model and by the distribution of CaCO particles. The residence time of Am in the Pacific was also estimated by using the model.

Release behavior of radionuclides from MOX fuels irradiated in a fast reactor during heating tests

Tanaka, Kosuke; Sato, Isamu*; Onishi, Takashi; Ishikawa, Takashi; Hirosawa, Takashi; Katsuyama, Kozo; Seino, Hiroshi; Ohno, Shuji; Hamada, Hirotsugu; Tokoro, Daishiro*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 536, p.152119_1 - 152119_8, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152199

In order to obtain the release rate coefficients from fuels for fast reactors (FRs), heating tests and the subsequent analyses of the fission products (FPs) and actinides that are released were carried out using samples of uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel pellets irradiated at the experimental fast reactor Joyo. Three heating tests targeting temperatures of 2773, 2973 and 3173 K were conducted using an FP release behavior test apparatus equipped with a high-frequency induction furnace and solid FP sampling systems consisting of a thermal gradient tube (TGT) and filters. Irradiated fuel pellets were placed into a tungsten crucible, then loaded into the induction furnace. The temperature was raised continuously at a heating rate of 10 K/s to the targeted temperature and maintained for 500 s in a flowing argon gas atmosphere. The FPs and actinides released from the MOX fuels and deposited in the TGT and filters were quantified by gamma-ray spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. Based on the analysis, the release rates of radionuclides from MOX fuels for FR were obtained and compared with literature data for light water reactor (LWR) fuels. The release rate coefficients of FPs obtained in this study were found to be similar to or lower than the literature values for LWR fuels. It was also found that the release rate coefficient data for actinides were within the range of variation of literature values for LWR fuels.

Distribution and fate of I in the seabed sediment off Fukushima

Otosaka, Shigeyoshi; Sato, Yuhi*; Suzuki, Takashi; Kuwabara, Jun; Nakanishi, Takahiro

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 192, p.208 - 218, 2018/12

AA2017-0744.pdf:1.17MB

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.06.025

From August 2011 to October 2013, the concentration of iodine-129 (I) in the seabed sediment collected from 26 stations located within 160 km from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was estimated. The concentrations of I in seabed sediment off Fukushima in 2011 ranged between 0.02 and 0.45 mBq/kg. Although iodine is a biophilic element, the accident-derived radioiodine negligibly affects the benthic ecosystem. Until October 2013, a slightly increased activity of I in the surface sediment in the shelf-edge region (bottom depth: 200-400 m) was observed. The increase of the I concentrations in the shelf-edge sediments was affected by the (1) transport of I-bound particles from the land through rivers and (2) re-deposition of I desorbed from the contaminated coastal sediment to the shelf-edge sediments, which were considered to be dominant processes.

A Study on the tendencies on the member states from which Broader Conclusion (BC) has been drawn and on those from which BC has not been drawn yet by the International Atomic Energy Agency; Extracting possible requirements for drawing the BC

Nakanishi, Hiroaki; Kimura, Takashi; Shimizu, Ryo; Kitade, Yuta; Tazaki, Makiko; Tamai, Hiroshi; Suda, Kazunori

Nihon Kaku Busshitsu Kanri Gakkai Dai-39-Kai Nenji Taikai Rombunshu (Internet), 9 Pages, 2018/11

To extract the possible requirements for the Broader Conclusion (BC) drawn by the IAEA in the Member States, this study is to conduct the comparative analysis of the tendencies on the Member States from which the BC has been drawn and those from which the BC has not been drawn yet.