Withtech is showing strong performance. Following Japan's decision to discharge contaminated water from Fukushima, global and domestic interest in marine radiation monitoring has intensified, and the commercialization of technology and equipment that can measure seawater radioactivity twice as fast, more conveniently, and accurately appears to be influencing the stock price.
As of 10:39 AM on the 22nd, Withtech was trading at 17,070 KRW, up 2,050 KRW (13.65%) compared to the previous trading day.
According to the University of Science and Technology (UST), a paper authored primarily by Kim Ga-hyun, a master's student majoring in radiochemistry and nuclear non-proliferation at UST-KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute), with Professor Kim Hyun-chul (head researcher of the Nuclear Environment Laboratory) as corresponding author, was published in the August issue of the ‘Marine Pollution Bulletin,’ a journal ranked in the top 1.7% (JCR DB) in the field of marine and freshwater biology.
The research achievement doubled the sample processing capacity compared to existing analytical techniques, reducing the analysis time to less than half. The performance of the analytical equipment allows confirmation of Sr-90 radioactivity results the next day after a pretreatment process within 3 hours for 50 liters of seawater.
The research team transferred the related technology to Withtech, which commercialized it as the device 'SALT-100.' SALT-100 has been supplied to three institutions: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant, Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD), and Kyungpook National University.
The academic community expects that this technology will contribute to strengthening South Korea's national response capabilities by measuring radioactivity more quickly and accurately while reducing costs.
Withtech is a company that measures and monitors environmentally hazardous substances generated during semiconductor and display manufacturing processes. Its monitoring system products are supplied through order-based contracts with companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.
Researcher Choi Seong-hwan of ResearchAlum said, "Withtech is progressing with new business related to nuclear power plant dismantling," adding, "They plan to develop and commercialize a 'Mobile Radiochemical Laboratory for Nuclear Power Plant Dismantling Waste Nuclide Analysis' essential for identifying radionuclides in radioactive waste generated during nuclear power plant dismantling."
He added, "Through participation in national projects related to nuclear power plant dismantling, the company has secured core technology to 'remove and manage the toxicity of nuclear power plant radioactive waste.' In March, it was officially recognized by the Korea Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (KOLAS) for technology related to 'gamma-emitting nuclide analysis and gamma emission rate measurement of nuclear instrumentation devices.'"
He stated, "It is possible to analyze seawater around Fukushima to determine whether any radioactive contaminated water discharge has occurred."
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