Separation of dangerous radionuclides with robots and sensors, 3x faster!

[Anchor]
As radioactive waste contains radioactive materials, rapid and safe disposal is very important.

Korean researchers have developed a device that uses robots and sensors to separate radionuclides three times faster than before.

This is reporter Park Na-yeon.

[Reporter]
Radioactive waste is divided into low, medium, and high-level waste depending on the intensity of radioactivity.

To choose the appropriate storage location and treatment method for each level, you first need to know the type of waste, and for this, 'radionuclide analysis' is essential.

It is necessary to examine what kinds of radioactive substances are contained in radioactive waste and how dangerous it is.

The nuclide analysis process is largely divided into three stages: 'pre-treatment' of preparing samples, 'separation' of putting reagents into samples, and 'measurement' of radioactivity.

The time it takes for each process varies slightly depending on the characteristics of radioactive materials, but it can take as little as a few minutes to several hours, or as long as a few days.

Among them, domestic researchers have developed a device that has reduced the time required for the "separation" process by about three times.

The first key is a "liquid handling robot," in which a human does not come into contact with a radioactive sample and the robot injects reagents.

The samples separated by reagent reaction are then separated and moved to the next measurement process.

[Lee Jong-kwang / Ph.D., Advanced Nuclear Cycle Technology Development Department, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute: Thanks to the robot, it is possible to avoid using valves that may remain in the sample or block the possibility of cross-contamination by easily replacing the components that come into contact with the radioactive sample.]

The second key is the small 'sensor' at the top of the separation container.

The sensor detects that all reagents have entered it and immediately tells you if the process of separating or adsorbing the nuclide is over.

Thanks to a sensor that informs the state of the adsorbent inside the separation container in real time, nuclide can be separated more accurately.

As a result of the experiment, the recovery rate of nuclides was about 90% while separating nuclides three times faster than before.

[Yoo Information / Director of Radioactive Waste Nuclide Analysis Room, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute: By applying this automated device to future sites, we will analyze the radioactive waste drums that are currently temporarily stored in the institute in a faster time.]

Researchers say the study has created a technological breakthrough to analyze radioactive waste more efficiently.

Furthermore, it plans to conduct additional research and challenge technology commercialization so that it can be applied to high-level waste.

I'm Park Nayeon of YTN Science.


Video coverage: Kim Young-hwan

Design: Im Saetbyul