Title: Chernobyl: the inevitable results of secrecy
Author: Alexander Shlyakhter and Richard Wilson
Reference: Public Understand. Sci. 1251-259
Keywords: USSR, health effects
Abstract: The Chernobyl accident was the inevitable outcome of a combination of bad design, bad management and bad communication practices in the Soviet nuclear industry. We review the causes of the accident, its impact on Soviet society, and its effects on the health of the population in the surrounding areas. It appears that the secrecy that was endemic in the USSR has bad profound negative effects on both technological safety and public health.
URL: http://www.broadinstitute.org/~ilya/alex/92a_chernobyl_secrecy.pdf
Title: Preliminary dose estimation from the nuclear accident after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
Author: WHO
Reference: 2012
Keywords: World Health Organization (WHO), Fukushima
Abstract: The earthquake and tsunami in Japan on 11 March 2011 led to releases of radioactive material into the environment from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear site. This report describes a preliminary estimate of radiation doses to the public resulting from this accident. These doses are assessed for different age groups in locations around the world, using assumptions described in the report.
The dose assessment forms one part of the overall health risk assessment being carried out by WHO of the global impact of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The health risk assessment is the subject of a separate WHO report published in February 2013.
URL: http://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/pub_meet/fukushima_dose_assessment/en/index.html
Title: Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors
Reference: World Nuclear Association (WNA), updated 31 May 2012
Keywords: Safety, Nuclear Power Reactor, World Nuclear Association (WNA)
Abstract: From the outset, there has been a strong awareness of the potential hazard of both nuclear criticality and release of radioactive materials from generating electricity with nuclear power.
- As in other industries, the design and operation of nuclear power plants aims to minimise the likelihood of accidents, and avoid major human consequences when they occur.
- There have been three major reactor accidents in the history of civil nuclear power – Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima. One was contained without harm to anyone, the next involved an intense fire without provision for containment, and the third severely tested the containment, allowing some release of radioactivity.
- These are the only major accidents to have occurred in over 14,500 cumulative reactor-years of commercial nuclear power operation in 32 countries.
- The risks from western nuclear power plants, in terms of the consequences of an accident or terrorist attack, are minimal compared with other commonly accepted risks. Nuclear power plants are very robust.
URL:http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Safety-of-Nuclear-Power-Reactors/#.UeyZ-dlLPSh
Author: A.I. Nyagu, K.N. Loganovsky, T.K. Loganovskaja et al.
Reference: KURRI-KR-79. — Recent Research Activities about the Chernobyl NPP Accident in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia / T. Imanaka (Ed.). — Kyoto: Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, 2002. — P. 202–230
Keywords: neurophysiology, neuropsychiatry, prenatal exposure, behavioral and emotional disorders
Abstract: The objective of the study was psychometric, neurophysiological and neuropsychiatric characterisation of acutely prenatally irradiated children. 100 randomly selected children who were in utero (born between April 26th, 1986 and February 26th, 1987) at the time of the Chernobyl accident and their mothers evacuated to Kiev as well as 100 classmates of the children were examined by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), electroencephalography (EEG) and clinical methods at the age of 10–12 years old. Foetal doses in the acutely exposed group were 11–92 mSv, in the comparison group — 0–3 mSv; foetal thyroid doses — 0.2–2 Gy and 0–0.04 Gy, respectively. The acutely exposed group showed a lower mean verbal IQ than in the comparison group (105.3±13.1 vs.118.1±13; p < .001) and a lower mean full scale IQ (112.1±15.4 vs. 120.9±11.5; p < .001). In addition the followings were observed in the acutely exposed group; WISC performance/verbal discrepancies with verbal decrements; a higher frequency of low-voltage and epileptiformal EEG-patterns and left hemisphere lateralised dysfunction; an increase (p < .001) of δ- and β-power and a decrease (p < .001) of θ- and α-power; an increased frequency of paroxysmal and organic mental disorders, somatoform autonomic dysfunction, disorders of psychological development, and behavioural and emotional disorders. Cerebral dysfunction was etiologically heterogeneous. This study suggests that prenatal irradiation at a thyroid foetal dose range of 0.2–2 Gy and a foetal dose of 11–92 mSv can result in detectable brain damage.
URL: http://www.rri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/NSRG/reports/kr79/KURRI-KR-79.htm
Title: Environmental consequences of the Chernobyl accident and their remediation: Twenty years of experience. Report of the Chernobyl Forum Expert Group ‘Environment’
Reference: International Atomic Energy Agency, Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety, Vienna (Austria), 2006
Keywords: environmental impacts, environmental protection, international cooperation
Abstract: This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Chernobyl Forum concerning the environmental effects of the Chernobyl accident. The Forum’s report considering the health effects of the Chernobyl accident is being published by the WHO. The Expert Group ‘Environment’ was chaired by L. Anspaugh of the United States of America. The IAEA technical officer responsible for this report was M. Balonov of the IAEA Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety
URL: http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1239_web.pdf
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
Author: S. Bazyltchik, V.M. Drozd, Chr. Reiners, Yu. Gavrilin
Reference: International Journal of Radiation Medicine. — 2001. — Special Issue 3, № 1–2. — P. 15.
Author: A. Yablokov, K. Loganovsky, T. Imanaka, M. Grodzinsky, C. Busby, Helmut Küchenhoff et al.
Reference: ECRR, 2006
Abstract: A comprehensive view on the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, written by world’s leading specialists. Following are the chapters of the report. (full text in English available on web)
1. Alexey V. Yablokov: The Chernobyl Catastrophe – 20 Years After
2. E.B. Burlakova and A.G Nazarov: Is it Safe to Live in Territories Contaminated with Radioactivity?
Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident 20 Years Later
3. Konstantin N. Loganovsky: Mental, Psychological and Central Nervous System Effects of the Chernobyl Accident Exposures
4. Eugene Yu. Krysanov: The Influence of the Chernobyl Accident on Wild Vertebrate Animals.
5. G.P.Snigiryova and V.A.Shevchenko: Chromosome Aberrations in the Blood Lymphocytes of People Exposed as a Result of the Chernobyl Accident
6. Inge Schmitz-Feuerhake: Teratogenic Effects After Chernobyl
7. D.M.Grodzinsky: Reflections of the Chernobyl Catastrophe on the Plant World: Special and General Biological Aspects
8. Chris Busby: Infant Leukaemia in Europe After Chernobyl and its Significance for Radioprotection; a Meta-Analysis of Three Countries Including New Data from the UK.
9. Alexey .V. Yablokov. The Health of the Chernobyl Liquidators- a Meta-analysis
10. Tetsuji Imanaka: Did Acute Radiation Syndrome Occur Among the Inhabitants of the 30 km Zone?
11. Helmut Küchenhoff, Astrid Engelhardt, Alfred Körblein: Combined Spatial-temporal Analysis of Malformation Rates in Bavaria After the Chernobyl Accident
12. V.B. Nesterenko and A.V. Nesterenko: Radioecological Effects in Belarus 20 Years After the Chernobyl Catastrophe: The Need for Long-term Radiation Protection of the Population
13. Alfred Koerblein: Studies of Pregnancy Outcome Following the Chernobyl Accident
14. Rosalie Bertell: The Death Toll of the Chernobyl Accident.f
URL: http://www.progettohumus.it/include/chernobyl/dintorni/dossier/chernobylbook.pdf
Author: Igumnov S.A., Drozdovitch V.V.
Reference: International Journal of Radiation Medicine. — 2004. — Vol. 6, № 1–4. — P. 108–115.
Keywords: contaminated areas, slightly contaminated areas, neuropsychiatry and psychological examinations
Abstract: Ten years follow-up investigation of intellectual development of 250 persons from Belarus exposed in utero following the Chernobyl accident and a control group of 250 persons from non- and slightly contaminated regions has been conducted. Neuropsychiatry and psychological examinations were performed among persons of both groups at the age of 6-7, 10-12,and 15-16 years. Mean antenatal internal dose to thyroid arising from the intake of 131I among persons of exposed group is 390±550 mGy (maximal dose – 4100 mGy),in control group – 35±65 mGy. Mean antenatal external dose among persons of exposed group is 10±13 mGy,maximal dose – 91 mGy. At the age of 6-7 years the persons in the exposed group had a mean Full Scale IQ lower than the control group (89.6±10.2 vs 92.1±10.5,p=0.007). At the age of 10-12 years there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (94.3±10.4 vs 95.8±10.9,p=0.117).
Positive dynamics of intellectual development in persons of both groups has been observed up to age of 15-16 years (98.7±10.2 è 99.5±10.5,p=0.171). No statistically significant correlation was found in exposed group between individual thyroid dose as well as individual antenatal external dose and IQ at the different ages. In both groups we notice a positive moderate correlation between IQ of persons and the educational level of their parents. We conclude that probably a significant role in the genesis of borderline intellectual functioning and emotional disorders in the exposed group of persons was played by unfavorable social-psychological and social-cultural factors. (full text in English and Russian available on web)
URL: http://www.mns.gov.ua/files/rm/PDF/6_16.pdf
Author: Igumnov S., Drozdovitch V.
Reference: Eur. Psychiatry. — 2000. — Vol. 15. № 4. — P. 244–253.
Keywords: thyroid dose, IQ, mental and behavioural disorders
Abstract: The study examined psychological development in 250 children at the age of 6-7 and 10-12 years who had been exposed in the prenatal period at the time of the Chernobyl accident in 1986. These children were compared to a control group of 250 children of the same age from non- and slightly contaminated areas of Belarus. The examination included psychiatric examination and intellectual assessment as well as the estimation of thyroid exposure in utero. The mean value of thyroid doses from (131)I 0.39 Gy was estimated for the prenatal exposed children. The children of the exposed group had a lower mean full-scale IQ compared to the control group (89.6 +/- 10.2 vs 92.1 +/- 10.5 at the age of 6-7 years, P = 0.007; and 94. 3 +/- 10.4 vs 95.8 +/- 10.9 at the age of 10-12 years, P = 0.117). Average IQ for the subgroup of highly exposed children (thyroid doses more than 1 Gy) was lower in comparison with average IQ for the whole exposed group (85.7 +/- 6.4 vs 89.6 +/- 10.2 at the age of 6-7 years, P = 0.014; 89.1 +/- 7.1 vs 94.3 +/- 10.4 at age 10-12 years, P = 0.003). No statistically significant distinctions in average IQ were found between the different subgroups of children in relation to the gestational age at the time of the Chernobyl accident. We notice a positive moderate correlation between IQ of children and the educational level of their parents (in exposed group – mothers: r = 0.50, P < 0.01 and fathers: r = 0.52, P < 0.01; in control group – mothers: r = 0.41, P < 0.05 and fathers: r = 0.42, P < 0.05). There was a moderate correlation between high personal anxiety in parents and emotional disorders in children (for mothers r = 0.38, P < 0.05; for fathers r = 0.43, P < 0.01). The relative risk of mental and behavioural disorders has been estimated for emotional disorders OR = 2.67, P < 0.001. The frequency of the formation of mental retardation, hyperkinetic disorders and other mental and behavioural disorders in children from both groups was approximately the same. We conclude that in the genesis of borderline intellectual functioning and emotional disorders in the exposed group of children a significant role was probably played by unfavourable social-psychological and sociocultural factors such as a low educational level of the parents, the break of microsocial contacts and difficulties adapting, which appeared following the evacuation and relocation from the contaminated areas.
URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10951608
