Estimation of I-131 concentration using time history of pulse height distribution at monitoring post and detector response for radionuclide in plume

平山 英夫*; 川崎 将亜; 松村 宏*; 大倉 毅史; 波戸 芳仁*; 佐波 俊哉*; 滝 光成; 大石 哲也; 吉澤 道夫

Insights Concerning the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident, Vol.4; Endeavors by Scientists, p.295 - 307, 2021/10

A method of deducing the I-131 concentration in a radioactive plume from the time history of peak count rates determined from pulse height spectra obtained from an NaI(Tl) scintillation detector employed as a detector of a monitoring post was presented. The concentrations of I-131 in the plumes were estimated from the count rates using the calculated response of the NaI(Tl) detector with egs5 for a model of a plume uniformly containing I-131. This method was applied to the data from the monitoring posts at Nuclear Science Research Institutes of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). The estimated time history variation of I-131 concentrations in plumes was in fair agreement with those measured directly by an air sampling method. The difference was less than a factor of 4 for plumes that arrived on March 15 and March 21, indicating relatively high I-131 concentrations among the plumes studied in this work.

Feasibility study of PGAA for boride identification in simulated melted core materials

土川 雄介; 阿部 雄太; 大石 佑治*; 甲斐 哲也; 藤 暢輔; 瀬川 麻里子; 前田 亮; 木村 敦; 中村 詔司; 原田 正英; et al.

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 33, p.011074_1 - 011074_6, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.33.011074

福島原子力発電所の解体作業では、溶融した燃料棒に含まれるホウ素分布を事前に把握することが重要である。溶融燃料棒の模擬試験体を用意し、ホウ素やホウ化物の含有量を調査する研究が行われてきた。本研究では、その一環として中性子を用いたホウ素並びにホウ化物分布の測定技術開発を行った。ホウ素の中性子吸収に伴う即発ガンマ線を測定し、ホウ素量や二次元分布を測定した。また、n(B,)反応における478keV線は、ホウ素の化合状態により、線ピークの幅が変化することが知られている。このことを用い、特に溶融燃料棒周辺に存在することが予測されているZrBやFeBといったホウ化物の識別可能性について調査した。測定はJ-PARC/MLFのANNRI, NOBORU, RADENにて行った。これらの解析結果について報告する。

Development of three-dimensional distribution visualization technology for boron using energy resolved neutron-imaging system (RADEN)

阿部 雄太; 土川 雄介; 甲斐 哲也; 松本 吉弘*; Parker, J. D.*; 篠原 武尚; 大石 佑治*; 加美山 隆*; 永江 勇二; 佐藤 一憲

Proceedings of 2020 International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 2020) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE2020-16723

Boron carbide is used as a neutron-absorbing material in Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F), producing borides that are twice as hard as oxides (such as UO and ZrO). The high neutron absorption of boron affects the evaluation of re-criticality during the process of debris retrieval. Therefore, it is important not only to determine the presence of boron but also to investigate the distribution of boron inside the material in a non-destructive manner during decommissioning. To address the uncertainties in the core material relocation behavior of boiling water reactor (BWR) during a severe accident (SA), solidified melt specimens of a simulated fuel assembly were prepared by plasma heating. If core material melting and relocation (CMMR) specimens can be used to estimate the B distribution in 1F Unit-3, that will provide valuable information in the decommissioning of 1F. To address this, the authors focused on the energy-resolved neutron imaging system, RADEN, which utilizes a wide energy range, from meV to keV. This is an innovative three-dimensional analysis technology for boride distribution that affects the evaluation of hardness and re-criticality. In the calibration standard samples (ZrB and FeB), there was a good correlation between boron concentration and the energy-dependence of the cross sections of cold and epi-thermal neutrons. In the CMMR specimens, boron distribution was confirmed from the contrast difference between cold and epi-thermal neutrons. In the future, the results of calibration standard samples will be applied to the results of CMMR specimens. With this method, three-dimensional boron distribution will be measured, and the understanding of boride distribution 1F Unit-3 will be improved, which may be reflected in an improved SA code.

Establishment of a low dose rate gamma ray calibration field for environmental radiation monitoring devices

古渡 意彦; 吉富 寛; 西野 翔; 谷村 嘉彦; 大石 哲也; Kessler, P.*; Neumaier, S.*; Rttger, A.*

Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 187(1), p.61 - 68, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncz138

A low dose rate Cs gamma ray calibration field that fully satisfies the requirement of the ISO 4037 series was established in the Facility of Radiation Standards in Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Two different methods were employed to determine the reference air kerma rate, namely a conventional ionization chamber and a G(E) function method used a newly developed scintillation spectrometer. To fulfill the requirement of the ISO 4037 and suppress scattering of Cs gamma ray within the room as far as possible, a suitable lead collimator was introduced to limit the irradiation area at test points and placed at the middle height in an irradiation room with a grating floor. From measured results evaluated reference air kerma rates between 1.0 m and 3.0 m from the center of the source, gamma ray scattering from the room structures was found to be negligible. The resulting Cs gamma ray calibration field could provide ambient dose equivalent rates of 0.7-7.2 Sv h for use with environmental radiation monitoring devices.

Characteristics of commercially available CdZnTe detector as gamma-ray spectrometer under severe nuclear accident

谷村 嘉彦; 西野 翔; 吉富 寛; 古渡 意彦; 大石 哲也

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 6, p.134 - 138, 2019/01

https://doi.org/10.15669/pnst.6.134

福島第一原子力発電所事故のような原子力災害時においては、様々な放射性物質が環境中に放出され、線量を増加させることが考えられる。線スペクトルを測定し、核種を同定することは外部被ばくと内部被ばくの両方に対する放射線防護上重要である。そこで、市販のCdZnTeスペクトロメータを選び、線入射角度依存性と使用可能な線量率範囲をFRSの校正場で試験した。その結果、全体の85%をカバーできる135において感度低下は15%以下であり、200Gy/h以下の空気カーマ率の場においてスペクトルが測定できることがわかった。

Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex, 2; Neutron scattering instruments

中島 健次; 川北 至信; 伊藤 晋一*; 阿部 淳*; 相澤 一也; 青木 裕之; 遠藤 仁*; 藤田 全基*; 舟越 賢一*; Gong, W.*; et al.

Quantum Beam Science (Internet), 1(3), p.9_1 - 9_59, 2017/12

https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs1030009

J-PARC物質・生命科学実験施設の中性子実験装置についてのレビューである。物質・生命科学実験施設には23の中性子ビームポートがあり21台の装置が設置されている。それらは、J-PARCの高性能な中性子源と最新の技術を組み合わせた世界屈指の実験装置群である。このレビューでは、装置性能や典型的な成果等について概観する。

Determination of low-level radiostrontium, with emphasis on pre-concentration of Sr from large volume of freshwater sample using Powdex resin

富田 純平; 山本 政儀*; 野崎 天生; 谷村 嘉彦*; 大石 哲也

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 146, p.88 - 93, 2015/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.04.011

An improved analytical method was developed for determining of low levels of radiostrontium in environmental freshwater samples. Emphasis was placed to the in situ pre-concentration of radiostrontium with Powdex resin in large volumes (100-300 L) of freshwater samples from many locations without using of deleterious substances such as NaOH and mineral acids. Measuring electric conductivity (EC) of water samples enabled the estimation of the amount of Powdex resin required for quantitative recovery of Sr from the large water samples in the field. The Powdex resin that adsorbed Sr was brought back to the laboratory, and Sr adsorbed in the resin was eluted by 8 M HNO together with Sr carrier added. Strontium was radiochemically separated by the cation exchange method for counting after removal of most of the Ca using Ca(OH) precipitation. Through the procedure the Sr chemical yield was 88% on average. This analytical method was verified by analyzing 170 L of water samples with different salinity values, to which a known amount of Sr was added. The detection limits of Sr activities obtained using the 170 L water samples was estimated to be approximately 0.1 mBq L for a counting time of 100 min. The method was also applied to environmental samples collected from Ibaraki and Fukushima prefectures; their Sr activities ranged from 0.16 to 0.93 mBq L.

Generation of radioisotopes with accelerator neutrons by deuterons

永井 泰樹; 橋本 和幸; 初川 雄一; 佐伯 秀也; 本石 章司; 園田 望; 川端 方子; 原田 秀郎; 金 政浩*; 塚田 和明; et al.

Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 82(6), p.064201_1 - 064201_7, 2013/06

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSJ.82.064201

A new system proposed for the generation of radioisotopes with accelerator neutrons by deuterons (GRAND) is described by mainly discussing the production of Mo used for nuclear medicine diagnosis. A prototype facility of this system consists of a cyclotron to produce intense accelerator neutrons from the C(d,n) reaction with 40 MeV 2 mA deuteron beams, and a sublimation system to separate Tc from an irradiated MoO sample. About 9.7 TBq/week of Mo is produced by repeating irradiation on an enriched Mo sample (251g) with accelerator neutrons three times for two days. It meets about 10% of the Mo demand in Japan. The characteristic feature of the system lies in its capability to reliably produce a wide range of high-quality, carrier-free, carrier-added radioisotopes with a minimum level of radioactive wastes without using uranium. The system is compact in size, and easy to operate; therefore it could be used worldwide to produce radioisotopes for medical, research, and industrial applications.

原子力科学研究所における気象観測場の変更にかかわる影響評価

大倉 毅史; 大石 哲也; 森山 弘文; 宮河 直人

JAEA-Testing 2009-009, 46 Pages, 2010/03

JAEA-Testing-2009-009.pdf:7.13MB

原子力科学研究所では、「発電用原子炉施設の安全解析に関する気象指針」(昭和57年1月28日原子力安全委員会決定,平成13年3月29日一部改訂)に基づき、研究所敷地内で気象観測を実施している。本報告書は、2005年4月から実施された気象観測場の変更に伴う影響評価を報告するものである。

Proliferation and cell death of human glioblastoma cells after carbon-ion beam exposure; Morphologic and morphometric analyses

大石 琢磨*; 佐々木 惇*; 浜田 信行*; 石内 勝吾*; 舟山 知夫; 坂下 哲哉; 小林 泰彦; 中野 隆史*; 中里 洋一*

Neuropathology, 28(4), p.408 - 416, 2008/08

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1789.2008.00899.x

Using CGNH-89 cells exposed to 0-10 Gy of X-ray (140 kVp) or carbon-ions (18.3 MeV/nucleon, LET = 108 keV/m), we performed conventional histology and immunocytochemistry with MIB-1 antibody, transmission electron microscopy, and computer-assisted, nuclear size measurements. After carbon-ion and X-ray exposure, living cells showed decreased cell number, nuclear condensation, increased atypical mitotic figures, and a tendency of cytoplasmic enlargement at the level of light microscopy. The deviation of the nuclear area size increased during 48 hours after irradiation, while the small cell fraction increased in 336 hours. In glioblastoma cells of the control, 5 Gy carbon-beam, and 10 Gy carbon-beam, and MIB-1 labeling index decreased in 24 hours but increased in 48 hours. Ultrastructurally, cellular enlargement seemed to depend on vacuolation, swelling of mitochondria, and increase of cellular organelles, such as the cytoskeleton and secondary lysosome. We could not observe apoptotic bodies in the CGNH-89 cells under any conditions. We conclude that carbon-ion irradiation induced cell death and senescence in a glioblastoma cell line with mutant TP53. Our results indicated that the increase of large cells with enlarged and bizarre nuclei, swollen mitochondria, and secondary lysosome occurred in glioblastoma cells after carbon-beam exposure.