Absolute quantification of Cs activity in spent nuclear fuel with calculated detector response function

Sato, Shunsuke*; Nauchi, Yasushi*; Hayakawa, Takehito*; Kimura, Yasuhiko; Kashima, Takao*; Futakami, Kazuhiro*; Suyama, Kenya

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 9 Pages, 2022/10

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2130462

A new non-destructive method for evaluating Cs activity in spent nuclear fuels was proposed and experimentally demonstrated for physical measurements in burnup credit implementation. Cs activities were quantified using gamma ray measurements and numerical detector response simulations without reference fuels, in which 137Cs activities are well known. Fuel samples were obtained from a lead use assembly (LUA) irradiated in a commercial pressurized water reactor (PWR) up to 53 GWd/t. Gamma rays emitted from the samples were measured using a bismuth germinate (BGO) scintillation detector through a collimator attached to a hot cell. The detection efficiency of gamma rays with the detector was calculated using the PHITS particle transport calculation code considering the measurement geometry. The relative activities of Cs, Cs, and Eu in the sample were measured with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector for more accurate simulations of the detector response for the samples. The absolute efficiency of the detector was calibrated by measuring a standard gamma ray source in another geometry. Cs activity in the fuel samples was quantified using the measured count rate and detection efficiency. The quantified Cs activities agreed well with those estimated using the MVP-BURN depletion calculation code.

Determination of Cs/Cs isotopic ratio in soil collected near Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station through mass spectrometry

Shimada, Asako; Tsukahara, Takehiko*; Nomura, Masao*; Kim, M. S.*; Shimada, Taro; Takeda, Seiji; Yamaguchi, Tetsuji

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 58(11), p.1184 - 1194, 2021/11

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2021.1931520

Determining the completeness of nuclear reactor decommissioning is an important step in safely utilizing nuclear power. For example, Cs from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) accident can be treated as background radioactivity, so determining the origin of Cs is essential. To accomplish this, measuring the Cs/Cs isotope ratio can be useful, so this study optimized a solvent extraction method, with calix[4]arene-bis(t-octylbenzo-crown-6) [BOBCalixC6] in 1-octanol, to purify radioactive Cs, radiocesium, from a solution of major environmental soil elements and mass spectrometry interference elements. This optimized method was applied to Cs purification in soil samples (40 g), and the final solutions contained a total of 10g/ml of the major soil elements and ng/ml concentrations at most of interfering elements. Soil samples collected near the FDNPS were then purified, and the Cs/Cs isotope ratios were measured, using both thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and triple quadrupole induced coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-QQQ). The results of each of these measurements were compared, and we found that Cs isotope ratios obtained by TIMS were more precise, by an order of magnitude, while the ICP-QQQ results possessed good abundance sensitivities. A slightly higher Cs/Cs ratio in the northwest area of the FDNPS was observed, while other areas exhibited similar values, all within the measurement error range, which indicated different origins of radiocesium. These results agreed with previously reported Cs/Cs activity distributions, suggesting that this ratio may be useful in identifying radiocesium origins for evaluating future nuclear reactor decommissions.

Vertical and horizontal distributions of Cs on paved surfaces affected by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Yoshimura, Kazuya; Watanabe, Takayoshi; Kurikami, Hiroshi

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 217, p.106213_1 - 106213_6, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106213

Guidance for gamma spectrometry intercomparison based on the information obtained through five intercomparisons during the Fukushima mapping project

Mikami, Satoshi; Ishikawa, Daisuke*; Matsuda, Hideo*; Hoshide, Yoshifumi*; Okuda, Naotoshi*; Sakamoto, Ryuichi*; Saito, Kimiaki

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 210, p.105938_1 - 105938_7, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.03.014

Five intercomparisons of in situ spectrometry by 6-7 participating teams have been conducted between December 2011 and August 2015 at sites in Fukushima prefecture which affected by the fallout of FDNPS accident occurred in March 2011. The evaluated deposition densities agreed within 5-6% in terms of coefficient of variation (CV) for radiocesium (Cs and Cs), by our best achievement, and the ratio of Cs/Cs in deposition density agreed within 1-2% in CV, through five intercomparisons. These results guarantee the accuracy of the measurements of the mapping project. Two different methods for intercomparison were conducted: (1) sequential measurements at an identical point; and (2) simultaneous measurements in a narrow area within 3 m radius. In a comparison between the two methods at a site, no significant difference was observed between the results. The standard protocols for the two different intercomparison methods were proposed based on our experience.

Altitudinal characteristics of atmospheric deposition of aerosols in mountainous regions; Lessons from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident

Sanada, Yukihisa; Katata, Genki*; Kaneyasu, Naoki*; Nakanishi, Chika*; Urabe, Yoshimi*; Nishizawa, Yukiyasu*

Science of the Total Environment, 618, p.881 - 890, 2018/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.246

Although the reconstruction of atmospheric deposition processes of radiocesium during the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) accident is essential, the whole picture of the deposition mechanism in complex topography has not been well understood yet. To understand atmospheric deposition processes of aerosols over the complex mountainous topography, we analyzed altitudinal characteristics of radiocesium released during the accident. At five selected mountainous areas in the eastern Japan, altitudinal characters of air dose rate observed by our high-resolution airborne surveys after the accident was analyzed based on the results of three typical (dry, wet, and cloud water) deposition obtained from the latest atmospheric dispersion.

Examination of I and Cs releases during late phase of Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident by using I/Cs ratio of source terms evaluated reversely by WSPEEDI code with environmental monitoring data

Hidaka, Akihide; Yokoyama, Hiroya

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 54(8), p.819 - 829, 2017/08

AA2016-0500.pdf:0.44MB

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2017.1323691

To clarify what happened during the Fukushima accident, the phenomena within RPV and the discussion of ties with the environmental monitoring are very important. However, the previous study has not necessarily advanced until the present that passed almost six years from the accident. The present study investigated I and Cs release behaviors during the late phase of the accident based on I/Cs ratio of the source terms that were recently evaluated backward by WSPEEDI code based on environmental monitoring data. The I release from the contaminated water in the basement of 1F2 and 1F3 reactor buildings was evaluated to be about 10% of I source term. The increase in Cs release from March 21 to 23 and from March 30 to 31 could be explained by the release of CsBO which is formed as a result of chemical reactions of Cs with BC due to re-ascension of the core temperature caused by slight shortage of the core cooling water.

Utilization of Cs/Cs in the environment to identify the reactor units that caused atmospheric releases during the Fukushima Daiichi accident

Chino, Masamichi; Terada, Hiroaki; Nagai, Haruyasu; Katata, Genki; Mikami, Satoshi; Torii, Tatsuo; Saito, Kimiaki; Nishizawa, Yukiyasu

Scientific Reports (Internet), 6, p.31376_1 - 31376_14, 2016/08

https://doi.org/10.1038/srep31376

Distribution of plutonium isotopes and Cs found in the surface soils of Nagasaki, Japan

Kokubu, Yoko; Yasuda, Kenichiro; Magara, Masaaki; Miyamoto, Yutaka; Sakurai, Satoshi; Usuda, Shigekazu; Yamazaki, Hideo*; Mitamura, Muneki*; Yoshikawa, Shusaku*

Journal of Geosciences, Osaka City University, 50, p.7 - 13, 2007/03

no abstracts in English

Improvement of Worldwide Version of System for Prediction of Environmental Emergency Dose Information (WSPEEDI), 1; New combination of models, atmospheric dynamic model MM5 and particle random walk model GEARN-new

Terada, Hiroaki; Furuno, Akiko; Chino, Masamichi

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 41(5), p.632 - 640, 2004/05

https://doi.org/10.3327/jnst.41.632

The new version of WSPEEDI (Worldwide version of System for Prediction of Environmental Emergency Dose Information) is developed by introducing the combination of models, the atmospheric dynamic model MM5 and the Lagrangian particle dispersion model GEARN-new to improve the prediction capability. One of the improvements by the new system is that Environmental contaminations in multi domains are predicted simultaneously, and the other is that more precise physical processes are considered by using predicted meteorological conditions with high resolution in time and space. The performance of the system is evaluated for the test calculations of hypothetical nuclear accident in the East Asia region and the Chernobyl accident. The results of test calculation in East Asia seem to be reasonable and the calculated surface air concentrations of Cs from Chernobyl show good agreement with measurements.

IAEA'97 expedition to the NW Pacific Ocean; Results of oceanographic and radionuclide investigations of the water column

Povinec, P. P.*; Livingston, H. D.*; Shima, Shigeki*; Aoyama, Michio*; Gastaud, J.*; Goroncy, I.*; Hirose, Katsumi*; Huynh-Ngoc, L.*; Ikeuchi, Yoshihiro*; Ito, Toshimichi; et al.

Deep Sea Research Part 2: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 50(17-21), p.2607 - 2637, 2003/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0967-0645(03)00138-3

An international sampling cruise, IAEA'97, was carried out in 1997 in the NW Pacif1c Ocean. The main results of this study are following: (1) The levels of oceanographic parameter showed differences from the historical data, (2) Transuranics water profiles showed typical sub-surface concentration maxima with decrease in concentration by about a factor of 4 from the historical results, deepening their positions by about a factor of 2 and declining the water column inventory by about 20% over 24 years, (3) Sr-90 and Cs-137 data confirmed that the observed changes in concentration profiles have been resulting from the regional water masses circulation, and (4) The concentrations of these radionuclides in surface water after 40 years of their main introduction to the NW Pacific are still showing a latitudinal dependence. The results present the most comprehensive recent study on the distribution of radionuclides in the NW Pacific Ocean with the implications for behaviour of these radionuclides in the water column and physical forcing of water mass circulation over the last 24 years.