Nuclear Research Institute Recognized for 'K-Marine Radioactivity Analysis Technology' as International Standard

Domestic marine radioactivity analysis technology has been recognized as an international standard.

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (hereinafter KAERI) announced on the 27th that the rapid analysis method for Strontium-90 (90Sr) in seawater was recently approved as an international standard at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Water Quality Technical Committee (TC147) general meeting and will be reflected in the revised version of ‘ISO 13160:2021’.

Researchers at the Nuclear Environment Laboratory of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (from left) Narin Jeong, UST graduate student, Dr. Hyuncheol Kim, and researcher Gahyeon Kim are posing for a commemorative photo. Photo by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute

Strontium-90 is a type of radioactive substance contained in seawater, present in extremely trace amounts, and its separation and measurement take a long time due to many chemically similar substances.

However, the rapid analysis method for Strontium-90 developed independently by KAERI simplifies the analysis procedure and drastically reduces the required time.

The core of the rapid analysis method is to indirectly confirm Strontium-90, which is difficult to analyze, by its daughter nuclide, Yttrium-90 (90Y), which is a radioactive nuclide produced by the decay of the parent nuclide.

This utilizes the secular equilibrium phenomenon where, when the half-life of the parent nuclide is significantly longer than that of the daughter nuclide (Strontium-90 half-life 28.8 years, Yttrium-90 half-life 2.7 days), the radioactivity concentrations of the parent and daughter nuclides become equal after a certain period. By using resin that adsorbs Yttrium-90 and an automatically developed radionuclide separation device, the analysis time was drastically reduced from 3 weeks to 2 days.

KAERI also independently developed a large-capacity seawater pretreatment device that can be used for sample pretreatment, reducing pretreatment time to 3 hours and enabling final analysis within a day. After technology transfer to a domestic company in 2022, the pretreatment device was successfully commercialized and is currently used by domestic and international institutions.

The rapid analysis method for Strontium-90 and the pretreatment device are currently utilized by major domestic institutions related to radioactivity such as Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Korea Radioactive Waste Agency, and Kyungpook National University in the marine radioactivity monitoring process. Additionally, the French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) has adopted this technology, and a joint investigation was conducted with the research team at IRSN’s request in July.

KAERI is leading the revision work of ISO 13160:2021, which reflects the rapid analysis method for Strontium-90 approved as an international standard, and plans to publish it in 2027. Next year, they also plan to propose and obtain approval for a rapid analysis method for radioactive cesium in seawater as an international standard.

Lee Wan-ro, Head of KAERI’s Safety Management Division, said, “The approval of the rapid analysis method for Strontium-90 as an international standard is the first case where a radioactivity analysis method developed by domestic researchers has been recognized as a global standard. KAERI will continue to strengthen its international leadership in the field of marine radioactivity analysis through ongoing research and development.”