Mortality from diseases other than cancer following low doses of ionizing radiation: results from the 15-Country Study of nuclear industry workers

Author: M. Vrijheid, E. Cardis, P. Ashmore et al.

Reference: Int. J. Epidemiol. — 2007. — Vol. 36, № 5. — P. 1126–1135.

Keywords: nuclear workers, 15 countries, socioeconomic status, non-cancer disease

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Ionizing radiation at very high (radio-therapeutic) dose levels can cause diseases other than cancer, particularly heart diseases. There is increasing evidence that doses of the order of a few sievert (Sv) may also increase the risk of non-cancer diseases. It is not known, however, whether such effects also occur following the lower doses and dose rates of public health concern.

METHODS: We used data from an international (15-country) nuclear workers cohort study to evaluate whether mortality from diseases other than cancer is related to low doses of external ionizing radiation. Analyses included 275 312 workers with adequate information on socioeconomic status, over 4 million person-years of follow-up and an average cumulative radiation dose of 20.7 mSv; 11 255 workers had died of non-cancer diseases.

RESULTS: The excess relative risk (ERR) per Sv was 0.24 [95% CI (confidence intervals) -0.23, 0.78] for mortality from all non-cancer diseases and 0.09 (95% CI -0.43, 0.70) for circulatory diseases. Higher risk estimates were observed for mortality from respiratory and digestive diseases, but confidence intervals included zero. Increased risks were observed among the younger workers (attained age

CONCLUSIONS: The most informative low-dose radiation study to date provides little evidence for a relationship between mortality from non-malignant diseases and radiation dose. However, we cannot rule out risks per unit dose of the same order of magnitude as found in studies at higher doses. (full text available on web)

URL: http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/content/36/5/1126.long

Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors

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

ASSESSMENT OF THE RADIONUCLIDE COMPOSITION OF “HOT PARTICLES” SAMPLED IN THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT FOURTH REACTOR UNIT

Title: ASSESSMENT OF THE RADIONUCLIDE COMPOSITION OF “HOT PARTICLES” SAMPLED IN THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT FOURTH REACTOR UNIT

Author: Farfan, E. / Jannik, T. / Marra, J.

Reference: HEALTH PHYSICS JOURNAL, Oct 2011

Keywords: 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; AMERICIUM; BURNUP; CESIUM; CESIUM ISOTOPES; CONFINEMENT; CURIUM; EUROPIUM; NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS; PLUTONIUM; RADIOISOTOPES; SHELTERS

Abstract: Fuel-containing materials sampled from within the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) 4th Reactor Unit Confinement Shelter were spectroscopically studied for gamma and alpha content. Isotopic ratios for cesium, europium, plutonium, americium, and curium were identified and the fuel burnup in these samples was determined. A systematic deviation in the burnup values based on the cesium isotopes, in comparison with other radionuclides, was observed. The conducted studies were the first ever performed to demonstrate the presence of significant quantities of {sup 242}Cm and {sup 243}Cm. It was determined that there was a systematic underestimation of activities of transuranic radionuclides in fuel samples from inside of the ChNPP Confinement Shelter, starting from {sup 241}Am (and going higher), in comparison with the theoretical calculations.

URL: http://www.osti.gov/bridge/product.biblio.jsp?query_id=2&page=0&osti_id=1024191