Problems of Radiation Medicine and Radiobiology

V. V. Vasylenko, S. Yu. Nechaev , M. Ya. Tsigankov, V. O. Pikta, G. M. Zadorozhna, M. S. Kuriata,
L. O. Lytvynetz, L. P. Mischenko, T. F. Babenko

State Institution «National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine», Melnykova str., 53, Kyiv, 04050, Ukraine

RESULTS OF COMPREHENSIVE RADIOLOGICAL & HYGIENIC MONITORING IN SOME SETTLEMENTS OF RADIOLOGICALLY CONTAMINATED AREAS IN RIVNE REGION IN 2017

Objective. Identification of the main factors of radiation exposure formation in the residents of surveyed settlements of radiologically contaminated territories in Rivne region and estimation of radiation doses in population at a current stage of the accident.
Materials and methods. Comprehensive radiological and hygienic monitoring was conducted within 7 settlements of the Rokytnivsky district of Rivne region, namely in the Stare Selo, Vezhytsya, Perehodychi, Drozdyn', Berezove, Zabolottya, and Hrabun' villages. Assay of the incorporated ¹³⁷Cs was held using a whole-body counter in residents of the villages twice a year, i.e. in May and October. Basic foodstuffs were sampled for the assay of ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs along with interview of residents about the foodstuff consumption. External radiation doses were estimated. Mathematical, dosimetric, and radiochemical methods were applied.
Results and conclusions. The annual effective exposure doses of population in the surveyed settlements of Rivne region in the year of study were formed at the expense of internal exposure doses ranging from 0.13 mSv · year^-1 to 0.32 mSv · year^-1, which is below the criterion for radiologically contaminated territories. It has been established that the incorporation of ¹³⁷Cs by the inhabitants is a principal factor of the internal radiation dose formation. The ¹³⁷Cs incorporation occurs through the consumption of such basic foodstuffs as milk and forest products, primarily mushrooms, which traditionally occupy a significant part of the diet in the Polissya area. The ¹³⁷Cs content in the vast majority of milk and mushroom samples significantly exceeded the permissible levels (PL). The maximum content of ¹³⁷Cs in the collected milk samples was 384.7 Bq · L^-1, which is 4 times higher than PL, and 36.9 kBq · kg^-1 in dried mushrooms being 15 times higher than PL.
Conclusions. The existing radiation and ecological situation in the areas that were exposed to radioactive contamination as a result of the Chornobyl disaster requires the continuation of monitoring of levels of radioactive contamination of foodstuffs, especially collected in forests, and doses of radiation exposure of the population.
Key words: internal irradiation, external irradiation, comprehensive radiation and hygienic monitoring, whole-body counter, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁹⁰Sr content, foodstuffs, radiation dose.

Problems of radiation medicine and radiobiology.
2018;23:139_152. doi: 10.33145/2304-8336-2018-23-139-152.

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