A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF HEALTH EFFECTS IN EUROPE– TWO DECADES AFTER CHERNOBYL

Title: A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF HEALTH EFFECTS IN EUROPE– TWO DECADES AFTER CHERNOBYL

Author: Seidel C., Maringer F.J., Bossew P

Reference: Proceedings series, Mar 2008, 260 p, IAEA, Vienna (Austria), International conference on Chernobyl: Looking back to go forward, Vienna (Austria), 6-7 Sep 2005

Keywords: Chernobyl, environmental contamination, radioactivity, radiation activity, radiation exposure, health consequences, cancer

Abstract: This report sums up radioactive environmental contamination due to the Chernobyl accident in 1986 in various regions all over Europe (Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Sweden, Austria and Greece). Most of the radionuclides released with the reactor accident possess short-lives (e.g. 131I) of a few hours or several days and weeks or were deposed in low quantities (e.g. 90Sr). So the main focus was put on 137Cs, because this radionuclide has a long half-life (30 a), is measurable till this day and gives a presentable view of radiation exposure in contaminated regions. The decrease of 137Cs activity concentrations in soil, surface water, foodstuffs and air was shown in the course of time. The comparison of radioactive environmental contamination shows, that the 137Cs-activity concentration in nearly all media has decreased faster than the physical half-life. Part of this elaboration was also to describe the contribution of the reactor accident to the radiation exposure of selected population groups in the last 20 years. The second part of the report follows a valuation of European studies, which are linked to late health effects of the Chernobyl accident specially thyroid cancer, leukemia and other solid tumors. These studies has been discussed and evaluated. Only in countries with the highest impact like Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, an increased number of infant thyroid cancer has been observed but up to now no increases in leukemia or malignant deceases in this or other European countries can be detected

URL: http://www.colloquium.fr/06IRPA/CDROM/docs/P-040.pdf

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