You are here

Головна » 2021 » AGROBIOLOGY №1 2021

Investigations of radiation exposures in the aftermath of the Chernobyl accident

Long-term assessment of the aftermath of the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents deals with the study of radionuclide emissions and radiation exposure in heavily polluted regions. A signifcant difference in the composition and nature of radionuclide emissions during accidents at nuclear power plants is considered in the study - a largescale radioactive fallout transfer and precipitation over the USSR and Europe took place in Chernobyl due to the uncovered core of the reactor while at Fukushima a massive emission of inert gases occurred. It is noted that based on the density of precipitation, the data indicating that the vital doses of 137Cs remain signifcantly lower or within the range of natural radiation exposure were obtained. However, due to a short half-life (8.0 days) of 131I, there are no available comprehensive measurements of 131I exposure after the accident. It is noted that retrospective dosimetry of the effect of 131I on the thyroid gland through 129I with a half-life of 15.7 Ma allows to fll the gap in this issue. 137Cs precipitation was analyzed by gamma spectrometry, 129I was studied by accelerating mass spectrometry in soil samples from 60 places in zones II and III in the north of Ukraine and the thyroid gland radiation dose in the population. Critical comparing of the results obtained with those of rare direct measurements of 131I activity in the human thyroid gland reveal that the doses are at the lower limit. The actual radiation exposure in the contaminated regions of Northern Ukraine was considered by estimating the exposure dose in returnees in the village of Khrystynivka where 30 families live and consume locally produced products in the evacuated zone II, 75 km from the Chernobyl NPP. The results show that the additional irradiation with 137Cs the returnees received was low. The possibility of safe living in heavily polluted areas is noted. Under the normal way of life, the total radiation exposure of Khrystynivka village residents was within the natural radiation exposure range.

Key words: radioactive fallout, radiation exposure, radiation pollution, irradiation of returnees.

 

Michel R.


Romanchuk L. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4790-8414


Reference: 
1. Beltz, D., Botsch, W., Handl, J., Michel, R. (2000). Die Nachbarn von Tschernobyl. Physikal. Blätter 56, Heft 10. pp. 55–57. 2. Botsch, W., Romantschuk, L.D., Beltz, D., Handl, J., Michel, R. (1999). Untersuchungen zur Strahlenexposition der Bevölkerung in hochkontaminierten Gebieten der nördlichen Ukraine. in: E. Wirth, H. Pohl, Hrsg., Kolloquium Radioökologische Strahlenschutzforschung. ISH, Oberschleißheim, 3.- 4.5., BfS-ISH-187/99. pp. 93–96.
3. Botsch, W., Romantschuk, L.D., Beltz, D., Handl, J., Michel, R. (1999). Untersuchungen zur Strahlenexposition der Bevölkerung in hochkontaminierten Gebieten der nördlichen Ukraine. Atomwirtschaft atw XLIV/11. pp. 638–640.
4. Botsch, W., Romantschuk, L.D., Handl, J., Beltz, D., Michel, R. (2000). Experimental Investigations on the Radiation Exposure of Inhabitants of Contaminated Areas in Northern Ukraine. Proc. IRPA10, Hiroshima, May 14–19, pp. 11–254.
5. Filß, M., Handl, J., Michel, R., Slavov, V.P., Borschtschenko, V.V. (1998). A Fast Method for the Determination of Strontium-89 and Strontium-90 in Environmental Samples and its Application to the Analysis of Strontium-90 in Ukrainian Soils. Radiochimica Acta 83. pp. 81–92.
6. Handl, J., Beltz, D., Botsch, W., Harb. Jakob D.S., Michel, R., Romantschuk, L.D. (2003). Fallout and Transfer into the Human Food Chain of Cesium-137 and the Radiation Exposure of Inhabitants of Contaminated Areas in Northern Ukraine. Health Physics 84. no. 4, pp. 502–517.
7. Krajewski, P. (1996). CLRP Version 4.2 MANUAL. BIOMOVS II Technical Report No 7. Uncertainty and validation effect of user interpretation on uncertainty estimates. BIOMOVS Steering Committee, Stockholm. 1996. CLRP #
8. Michel, R. (2005). Iodine-129 in Soils from Northern Ukraine and the Retrospective Dosimetry of the Iodine-131 Exposure after the Chernobyl Accident. Science of the Total Environment. 340. pp. 35–55.
9. Michel, R. (2006). In: 20 Jahre nach Tschernobyl – Eine Bilanz aus der Sicht des Strahlenschutzes, Berichte der Strahlenschutzkommission (SSK), Heft 50, pp. 43–63.
10. Michel, R., Daraoui, A., Gorny, M., Jakob, D., Sachse, R., Romantschuk, L.D., Alfmov, V., Synal, H-A. (2015). Retrospective dosimetry of Iodine-131 exposures using Iodine-129 and Caesium-137 inventories in soils – a critical evaluation of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident in parts of Northern Ukraine. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. 150. pp. 20–35. Available at: https://doi. org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.07.023.
11. UNSCEAR. Report to the General Assembly. Annex J. Exposures and effects of the Chernobyl accident. 2000. Vol. II Available at: http://www.unscear.org/docs/ reports/annexj.pdf.
12. UNSCEAR. Report to the General Assembly. Annex D. Health effects due to radiation from the Chernobyl accident. 2008. Vol. II Available at: www.unscear.org.
13. UNSCEAR. Report, Sources, Effects and Risks of Ionizing Radiation, United Nations Scientifc Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, UNSCEAR 2013 Report to the General Assembly, with scientifc annexes: Report to the General Assembly, Scientifc Annex A Levels and effects of radiation exposure due to the nuclear accident after the 2011 great east-Japan earthquake and tsunami. 2013. Volume I. Available at: www.unscear.org.
14. UNSCEAR. White Paper, Evaluation of data on thyroid cancer in regions affected by the Chernobyl accident. A White Paper to guide the Scientifc Committee's future programme of work. 2018. Available at: www.unscear.org.
15. UNSCEAR. Levels and effects of radiation exposure due to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Implications of information since the UNSCEAR 2013 Report. 2021. Available at: www.unscear.org.

 

Download this article: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon michel_1_2021.pdf819.42 KB
YEAR: 
2021
AGROBIOLOGY №1 2021