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ABSTRACT: For the current on-site evaluation of the environmental contamination and contributory external exposure after the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP) and the nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Site (SNTS), the concentrations of artificial radionuclides in soil samples from each area were analyzed by gamma spectrometry. Four artificial radionuclides (Am, Cs, Cs, and Co) were detected in surface soil around CNPP, whereas seven artificial radionuclides (Am, Co, Cs, Zr, Nb, Co, and Co) were detected in surface soil around SNTS. Effective doses around CNPP were over the public dose limit of 1 mSv/y (International Commission on Radiological Protection, 1991). These levels in a contaminated area 12 km from Unit 4 were high, whereas levels in a decontaminated area 12 km from Unit 4 and another contaminated area 15 km from Unit 4 were comparatively low. On the other hand, the effective doses around SNTS were below the public dose limit. These findings suggest that the environmental contamination and effective doses on the ground definitely decrease with decontamination such as removing surface soil, although the effective doses of the sampling points around CNPP in the present study were all over the public dose limit. Thus, the remediation of soil as a countermeasure could be an extremely effective method not only for areas around CNPP and SNTS but also for areas around the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP), and external exposure levels will be certainly reduced. Long-term follow-up of environmental monitoring around CNPP, SNTS, and FNPP, as well as evaluation of the health effects in the population residing around these areas, could contribute to radiation safety and reduce unnecessary exposure to the public.
PLoS ONE 01/2013; 8(2):e57524. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Abstract Background: Iodine requirements increase during pregnancy and previous studies have reported the inadequate iodine status of pregnant women in areas that have achieved iodine sufficiency in the general population. We examined the urinary iodine (UI) concentrations of pregnant women in Ukraine, where the iodine status is showing improvement among the general population. Methods: We enrolled 148 pregnant women <16 weeks pregnant and 80 healthy women as a control group living in Zhitomir, Ukraine. UI concentration, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), antithyroglobulin antibodies (TGAb), and antithyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) were measured. Results: The median UI concentrations were significantly lower in pregnant women than in control women [13.0 (ND-51.0) μg/L vs. 62.0 (35.3-108.5) μg/L, p<0.001]. TSH concentrations were significantly lower in pregnant women than in control women [1.7 (1.2-2.7) IU/L vs. 2.2 (1.4-3.1) IU/L, p=0.011], but this difference disappeared when adjusted for age (2.1±0.1 IU/L vs. 2.4±0.2 IU/L, p=0.097). The frequency of TSH over 6.2 IU/L and the frequency of positive TGAb and/or TPOAb were not statistically different between groups (p=0.70 and p=0.48, respectively). The UI concentrations of 142 pregnant women (95.9%) were <150 μg/L indicating insufficient iodine intake. Conclusions: The UI concentration of pregnant women in Ukraine revealed severe iodine deficiency. Regular monitoring and appropriate nutrition education are essential because iodine deficiency can be easily prevented by adequate iodine intake. The risk of iodine deprivation during pregnancy needs to be assessed locally over time because it may occur in areas that are not globally recognized as being iodine-deficient.
Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine 09/2012; · 2.15 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To evaluate the environmental contamination and contributory external exposure after the accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP), the concentrations of artificial radionuclides in soil samples from each area were analysed by gamma spectrometry. Six artificial radionuclides ((131)I, (134)Cs, (137)Cs, (129m)Te, (95)Nb and (136)Cs) were detected in soil samples around FNPP. Calculated external effective doses from artificial radionuclide contamination in soil samples around FNPP were 1.9-2.9 μSv h(-1) (8.7-17.8 mSv y(-1)) in Fukushima city on 22 March 2011. After several months, these calculated external effective doses were 0.25-0.88 μSv h(-1) (2.2-7.6 mSv y(-1)) in Fukushima city on 29 June 2011. The present study revealed that the detected artificial radionuclides around FNPP mainly shifted to long-lived radionuclides such as radioactive caesium ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) even though current levels are decreasing gradually due to the decay of short-lived radionuclides such as (131)I, (129m)Te, (95)Nb and (136)Cs. Thus, radiation exposure potency still exists even though the national efforts are ongoing for reducing the annual exposure dose closer to 1 mSv, the public dose limit. Long-term environmental monitoring around FNPP contributes to radiation safety, with a reduction in unnecessary exposure to the residents.
Radiation Protection Dosimetry 04/2012; 151(3):537-45. · 0.82 Impact Factor
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Naomi Hayashida,
Yui Sekitani, Jumpei Takahashi,
Alexander A Kozlovsky,
Oleksandr K Gutevych,
Aleksey S Saiko,
Nina V Nirova,
Anjela A Petrova,
Ruslan M Rafalskiy,
Sergey A Chorny,
Valery V Daniliuk,
Masanobu Anami,
Shunichi Yamashita,
Noboru Takamura
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ABSTRACT: After the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP), the incidence of thyroid cancer increased among children. Recently, a strong relationship between solid thyroid nodules and the incidence of thyroid cancer was shown in atomic bomb survivors. To assess the prognosis of benign thyroid nodules in individuals living in the Zhitomir region of Ukraine, around the CNPP, we conducted a follow-up investigation of screening data from 1991 to 2000 in the Ukraine.
Participants of this study were 160 inhabitants with thyroid nodules (nodule group) and 160 inhabitants without thyroid nodules (normal control group) intially identified by ultrasonography from 1991 to 2000. All participants were aged 0 to 10 years old and lived in the same area at the time of the accident. We performed follow-up screening of participants and assessed thyroid nodules by fine needle aspiration biopsy.
Among the nodule group participants, the number and size of nodules were significantly increased at the follow-up screening compared with the initial screening. No thyroid nodules were observed among the normal control group participants. The prevalence of thyroid abnormality, especially nodules that could be cancerous (malignant or suspicious by fine needle aspiration biopsy), was 7.5% in the nodule group and 0% in the normal control group (P<0.001).
Our study indicated that a thyroid nodule in childhood is a prognostic factor associated with an increase in the number and size of nodules in individuals living in the Zhitomir region of Ukraine.
PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(11):e50648. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To evaluate current environmental contamination and contributions from internal and external exposure due to the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (CNPP) and nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Site (SNTS), concentrations of artificial radionuclides in edible mushrooms, soils and stones from each area were analyzed by gamma spectrometry. Annual effective doses were calculated for each area from the cesium contamination. Calculated internal effective doses of (137)Cs due to ingestion of mushrooms were 1.8 × 10(-1) mSv/year (y) in Gomel city (around CNPP), 1.7 × 10(-1) mSv/y in Korosten city (around CNPP), 2.8 × 10(-4) mSv/y in Semipalatinsk city, and 1.3 × 10(-4) mSv/y in Nagasaki. Calculated external effective doses of (137)Cs were 3.4 × 10(-2) mSv/y in Gomel city, 6.2 × 10(-2) mSv/y in Korosten city, 2.0 × 10(-4) mSv/y in Semipalatinsk city, and 1.3 × 10(-4) mSv/y in Nagasaki. Distribution of radionuclides in stones collected beside Lake Balapan (in SNTS) were (241)Am (49.4 ± 1.4 Bq/kg), (137)Cs (406.3 ± 1.7 Bq/kg), (58)Co (3.2 ± 0.5 Bq/kg), and (60)Co (125.9 ± 1.1 and 126.1 ± 1.1 Bq/kg). The present study revealed that dose rates from internal and external exposure around CNPP were not sufficiently low and radiation exposure potency still exists even though current levels are below the public dose limit of 1 mSv/y (ICRP1991). Moreover, parts of the SNTS area may be still contaminated by artificial radionuclides derived from nuclear tests. Long-term follow-up of environmental monitoring around CNPP and SNTS, as well as evaluation of health effects in the population residing around these areas, may contribute to radiation safety with a reduction of unnecessary exposure of residents.
Journal of Radiation Research 01/2011; 52(1):88-95. · 1.68 Impact Factor
