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Ghimire L, Waller E. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Biodosimetry with Human Teeth: A Crucial Technique for Acute and Chronic Exposure Assessment. HEALTH PHYSICS 2024; 126:322-338. [PMID: 38526251 DOI: 10.1097/hp.0000000000001822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Radiation exposure is a primary concern in emergency response scenarios and long-term health assessments. Accurate quantification of radiation doses is critical for informed decision-making and patient care. This paper reviews the dose reconstruction technique using both X- and Q-bands, with tooth enamel as a reliable dosimeter. Tooth enamel, due to its exceptional resistance to alteration over time, offers a unique opportunity for assessing both acute and chronic radiation exposures. This review delves into the principles underlying enamel dosimetry, the mechanism of radiation interactions, and dose retention in tooth enamel. We explore state-of-the-art analytical methods, such as electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, that accurately estimate low and high doses in acute and chronic exposure. Furthermore, we discuss the applicability of tooth enamel dosimetry in various scenarios, ranging from historical radiological incidents to recent nuclear events or radiological incidents. The ability to reconstruct radiation doses from dental enamel provides a valuable tool for epidemiological studies, validating the assessment of health risks associated with chronic exposures and aiding in the early detection and management of acute radiation incidents. This paper underscores the significance of tooth enamel as an essential medium for radiation dose reconstruction and its broader implications for enhancing radiation protection, emergency response, and public health preparedness. Incorporating enamel EPR dosimetry into standard protocols has the potential to transform the field of radiation assessment, ensuring more accurate and timely evaluations of radiation exposure and its associated risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lekhnath Ghimire
- Department of Energy and Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, ON, L1G 0C5, Canada, or email at
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Shishkina EA, Degteva MO, Napier BA. EPR-based uncertainty validation of the calculated external doses for population exposed in the urals region. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2023; 199:1586-1590. [PMID: 37721077 PMCID: PMC10505940 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncac238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Tooth enamel Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was used as a method for external dosimetry in the territories contaminated in the 1950s by PA 'Mayak' (Urals region) to validate the mean dose estimates predicted by the Techa River Dosimetry System (TRDS). The purpose of this study is to validate the uncertainties of TRDS doses. Ninety percent confidence intervals (90% confidence interval, CI) of dose estimated with both methods were compared for 220 people. All data were grouped according to the width of 90%CI, viz.: (1) 90%CI of EPR-based dose ≤ 90%CI of TRDS prediction (38 cases); (2) 90%CI of EPR-based dose > 90%CI of TRDS prediction (182 cases). About 91% of 90%CIs overlap. In group 1, 100% cases overlap. In group 2, 80% of the cases were non-contradictive (the calculated 90%CI is completely within the measured one). Interval comparison of doses predicted retrospectively and estimated based on individual measurements are non-contradictory and demonstrate a good agreement.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A Shishkina
- Biophys. Lab., Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine, 68A Vorovsky Str., 454124, Chelyabinsk, Russia
- Department of Radiation Biology, Chelyabinsk State University, 129 Bratiev Kashirinykh Str., 454001, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - M O Degteva
- Biophys. Lab., Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine, 68A Vorovsky Str., 454124, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - B A Napier
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington, 99354, USA
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Shishkina EA, Napier BA, Preston DL, Degteva MO. Dose estimates and their uncertainties for use in epidemiological studies of radiation-exposed populations in the Russian Southern Urals. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288479. [PMID: 37561738 PMCID: PMC10414627 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Many residents of the Russian Southern Urals were exposed to radioactive environmental pollution created by the operations of the Mayak Production Association in the mid- 20th century. There were two major releases: the discharge of about 1x1017 Bq of liquid waste into the Techa River between 1949 and 1959; and the atmospheric release of 7.4 * 1016 Bq as a result an explosion in the radioactive waste-storage facility in 1957. The releases into the Techa River resulted in the exposure of more than 30,000 people who lived in riverside villages between 1950 and 1961. The 1957 accident contaminated a larger area with the highest exposure levels in an area that is called the East Urals Radioactive Trace (EURT). Current epidemiologic studies of the exposed populations are based on dose estimates obtained using a Monte-Carlo dosimetry system (TRDS-2016MC) that provides multiple realizations of the annual doses for each cohort member. These dose realizations provide a central estimate of the individual dose and information on the uncertainty of these dose estimates. In addition, the correlation of individual annual doses over realizations provides important information on shared uncertainties that can be used to assess the impact of shared dose uncertainties on risk estimate uncertainty.This paper considers dose uncertainties in the TRDS-2016MC. Individual doses from external and internal radiation sources were reconstructed for 48,036 people based on environmental contamination patterns, residential histories, individual 90Sr body-burden measurements and dietary intakes. Dietary intake of 90Sr resulted in doses accumulated in active bone marrow (or simply, marrow) that were an order of magnitude greater than those in soft tissues. About 84% of the marrow dose and 50% of the stomach dose was associated with internal exposures. The lognormal distribution is well-fitted to the individual dose realizations, which, therefore, could be expressed and easily operated in terms of geometric mean (GM) and geometric standard deviation (GSD). Cohort average GM for marrow and stomach cumulative doses are 0.21 and 0.03 Gy, respectively. Cohort average dose uncertainties in terms of GSD are as follows: for marrow it is 2.93 (90%CI: 2.02-4.34); for stomach and the other non-calcified tissues it is 2.32 (90% CI: 1.78-2.9).
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena A. Shishkina
- Biophysics Laboratory, Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Chelyabinsk, Russia
- Chelyabinsk State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Bruce A. Napier
- Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States of America
| | - Dale L. Preston
- Hirosoft International LLC, Eureka, California, United States of America
| | - Marina O. Degteva
- Biophysics Laboratory, Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Chelyabinsk, Russia
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Akleyev AV, Degteva MO, Krestinina LY. Overall results and prospects of the cancer risk assessment in the Urals population affected by chronic low dose-rate exposure. RADIATION MEDICINE AND PROTECTION 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmp.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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Giussani A, Lopez MA, Romm H, Testa A, Ainsbury EA, Degteva M, Della Monaca S, Etherington G, Fattibene P, Güclu I, Jaworska A, Lloyd DC, Malátová I, McComish S, Melo D, Osko J, Rojo A, Roch-Lefevre S, Roy L, Shishkina E, Sotnik N, Tolmachev SY, Wieser A, Woda C, Youngman M. Eurados review of retrospective dosimetry techniques for internal exposures to ionising radiation and their applications. RADIATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOPHYSICS 2020; 59:357-387. [PMID: 32372284 PMCID: PMC7369133 DOI: 10.1007/s00411-020-00845-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
This work presents an overview of the applications of retrospective dosimetry techniques in case of incorporation of radionuclides. The fact that internal exposures are characterized by a spatially inhomogeneous irradiation of the body, which is potentially prolonged over large periods and variable over time, is particularly problematic for biological and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) dosimetry methods when compared with external exposures. The paper gives initially specific information about internal dosimetry methods, the most common cytogenetic techniques used in biological dosimetry and EPR dosimetry applied to tooth enamel. Based on real-case scenarios, dose estimates obtained from bioassay data as well as with biological and/or EPR dosimetry are compared and critically discussed. In most of the scenarios presented, concomitant external exposures were responsible for the greater portion of the received dose. As no assay is available which can discriminate between radiation of different types and different LETs on the basis of the type of damage induced, it is not possible to infer from these studies specific conclusions valid for incorporated radionuclides alone. The biological dosimetry assays and EPR techniques proved to be most applicable in cases when the radionuclides are almost homogeneously distributed in the body. No compelling evidence was obtained in other cases of extremely inhomogeneous distribution. Retrospective dosimetry needs to be optimized and further developed in order to be able to deal with real exposure cases, where a mixture of both external and internal exposures will be encountered most of the times.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Giussani
- BfS-Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
| | - M A Lopez
- CIEMAT - Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Av.da Complutense 40, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - H Romm
- BfS-Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - A Testa
- ENEA Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, Santa Maria di Galeria, 00123, Rome, Italy
| | - E A Ainsbury
- Public Health England - Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0RQ, Oxon, UK
| | - M Degteva
- Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine (URCRM), Vorovskt str. 68A, Chelyabinsk, 454141, Russia
| | - S Della Monaca
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - G Etherington
- Public Health England - Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0RQ, Oxon, UK
| | - P Fattibene
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - I Güclu
- Cekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center Radiobiology Unit Yarımburgaz, Turkish Atomic Energy Authority, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - A Jaworska
- DSA-Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Skøyen, P. O. Box 329, 0213, Oslo, Norway
| | - D C Lloyd
- Public Health England - Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0RQ, Oxon, UK
| | - I Malátová
- SURO-National Radiation Protection Institute, Bartoskova 28, 14000, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - S McComish
- US Transuranium and Uranium Registries, Washington State University, Richland, WA, USA
| | - D Melo
- Melohill Technology, 1 Research Court, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - J Osko
- National Centre for Nuclear Research, A. Soltana 7, 05400, Otwock, Poland
| | - A Rojo
- ARN-Nuclear Regulatory Authority of Argentina, Av. del Libertador 8250, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - S Roch-Lefevre
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, IRSN, Pôle Santé et Environnement, Direction de la Santé, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - L Roy
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire, IRSN, Pôle Santé et Environnement, Direction de la Santé, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - E Shishkina
- Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine (URCRM), Vorovskt str. 68A, Chelyabinsk, 454141, Russia
- Chelyabinsk State University (ChelSU), 129, Bratiev Kashirinih Street, Chelyabinsk, 454001, Russia
| | - N Sotnik
- Southern Urals Biophysics Institute (SUBI), Ozyorsk, Chelyabinsk Region, 456780, Russia
| | - S Y Tolmachev
- US Transuranium and Uranium Registries, Washington State University, Richland, WA, USA
| | - A Wieser
- Institute of Radiation Medicine, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - C Woda
- Institute of Radiation Medicine, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - M Youngman
- Public Health England - Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0RQ, Oxon, UK
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Toyoda S, Murahashi M, Ivannikov A. ESR tooth enamel retrospective dosimetry quoted as spin numbers. RADIAT MEAS 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radmeas.2020.106333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Durkan R, Gürbüz A, Murat S, Yücel H. Measurement of activity concentrations of 238U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in different dental ceramic materials and assessment of dose given to oral mucosa. Radiat Phys Chem Oxf Engl 1993 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2019.108598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Shishkina EA, Volchkova AY, Ivanov DV, Fattibene P, Wieser A, Krivoschapov VA, Degteva MO, Napier BA. APPLICATION OF EPR TOOTH DOSIMETRY FOR VALIDATION OF THE CALCULATED EXTERNAL DOSES: EXPERIENCE IN DOSIMETRY FOR THE TECHA RIVER COHORT. RADIATION PROTECTION DOSIMETRY 2019; 186:70-77. [PMID: 30561681 DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncy258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study applies EPR tooth dosimetry for validation of external doses calculated with the TRDS-2016. EPR-based external dose in tooth enamel is calculated by subtraction of the contributions of natural and anthropogenic sources from the exposure of interest. These subtracted terms may contribute substantially to the overall uncertainty of the EPR-derived external dose. The validation method strongly depends on the uncertainties. The current study combines the results of a number of previous papers to propagate the uncertainty of EPR-derived external doses. It is concluded that the overall uncertainties of D ≥ 500 mGy are comparable with measurement uncertainties (≤30%); the overall uncertainties of D < 500 mGy become higher as the EPR-dose decreases because they are strongly effected by all other factors of influence. More than 70% of investigated individuals were exposed externally to doses <100 mGy with uncertainties >100%. Therefore, the validation task can be solved only based on statistical approaches. The validation of the TRDS-2016 predictions demonstrates good convergence of group-averages with EPR-based doses. The method for validation of the uncertainty of TRDS-2016 predictions should be also designed based on statistical approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A Shishkina
- Biophys Lab, Urals Research Centre for Radiation Medicine (URCRM), 68-A Vorovsky Street, Chelyabinsk, Russia
- Department of Radiobiology, Chelyabinsk State University (ChelSU), 129, Bratiev Kashirinih Street, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - A Yu Volchkova
- Biophys Lab, Urals Research Centre for Radiation Medicine (URCRM), 68-A Vorovsky Street, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - D V Ivanov
- Department of Nanospintronics, M. N. Miheev Institute of Metal Physics (IMP), Urals Division of Russian Academy of Sciences, 18, S. Kovalevskaya Str., Yekaterinburg, Russia
- Institute of Physics and Technology, Ural Federal University (UrFU), 19, Mira str., Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | - P Fattibene
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Core Facilities, Viale Regina Elena 299, Rome, Italy
| | - A Wieser
- Institute of Radiation Protection, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Centre for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - V A Krivoschapov
- Biophys Lab, Urals Research Centre for Radiation Medicine (URCRM), 68-A Vorovsky Street, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - M O Degteva
- Biophys Lab, Urals Research Centre for Radiation Medicine (URCRM), 68-A Vorovsky Street, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - B A Napier
- Energy and Environment Department, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
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Kinoshita A, Baffa O, Mascarenhas S. Electron spin resonance (ESR) dose measurement in bone of Hiroshima A-bomb victim. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192444. [PMID: 29408890 PMCID: PMC5800652 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Explosion of the bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki corresponds to the only historical moment when atomic bombs were used against civilians. This event triggered countless investigations into the effects and dosimetry of ionizing radiation. However, none of the investigations has used the victims’ bones as dosimeter. Here, we assess samples of bones obtained from fatal victims of the explosion by Electron Spin Resonance (ESR). In 1973, one of the authors of the present study (SM) traveled to Japan and conducted a preliminary experiment on the victims’ bone samples. The idea was to use the paramagnetism induced in bone after irradiation to measure the radiation dose. Technological advances involved in the construction of spectrometers, better knowledge of the paramagnetic center, and improvement in signal processing techniques have allowed us to resume the investigation. We obtained a reconstructed dose of 9.46 ± 3.4 Gy from the jawbone, which was compatible with the dose distribution in different locations as measured in non-biological materials such as wall bricks and roof tiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Kinoshita
- Departmento de Física, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
- Pró Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação, Universidade Sagrado Coração, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Oswaldo Baffa
- Departmento de Física, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Mascarenhas
- Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
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Krestinina LY, Kharyuzov YE, Epiphanova SB, Tolstykh EI, Deltour I, Schüz J, Akleyev AV. Cancer Incidence after In Utero Exposure to Ionizing Radiation in Techa River Residents. Radiat Res 2017; 188:314-324. [PMID: 28715276 DOI: 10.1667/rr14695.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Health effects of in utero exposure to ionizing radiation, especially among adults, are still unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze cancer risk in a cohort of subjects exposed in utero due to releases of nuclear waste into the Techa River in the Southern Urals, taking into account additional postnatal exposure. Analysis for solid cancer was based on 242 cases among 10,482 cohort members, accumulating 381,948 person-years at risk, with follow-up from 1956-2009, while analysis for hematological malignancies was based on 26 cases among 11,070 persons, with 423,502 person-years at risk, with follow-up from 1953-2009. Mean doses accumulated in soft tissues and in red bone marrow during the prenatal period were 4 mGy and 30 mGy, respectively. Additional respective mean postnatal doses received by cohort members were 11 and 84 mGy. Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate the excess relative risk (ERR) of cancer incidence related to in utero and postnatal doses. No association was observed for in utero exposure with solid cancer risk [ERR per 10 mGy: -0.007; 95% confidence interval (CI): <-0.107; 0.148] or with hematological malignancy risk (ERR/10 mGy: -0.011; 95% CI: <-0.015; 0.099). However, ERR of solid cancer increased significantly with increasing postnatal dose (ERR/10 mGy: 0.11; 95% CI: 0.04; 0.22). The very wide confidence intervals in these ERR results are similar to those of studies performed on the LSS cohort and the offspring of the Mayak Female Worker Cohort, as well as case-control studies of effects after in utero medical exposure. There were limitations of this study, with decreased statistical power, due to the low prenatal doses received by most of the cohort members, the small number of cancer cases and the absence of cohort members over the age of 59 years (living cohort members had reached 49-59 years of age). Further aging of the cohort and extension of the follow-up period will enhance the statistical power of this study in the future. There is a shortage of cohort studies reporting on the effects of prenatal radiation exposure, as well as information on chronic exposure during the prenatal period. Therefore, further research of this unique cohort will be a useful addition to the published literature on this subject, and a valuable means of elucidating the long-term effects of low-dose radiation exposure in the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Yu Krestinina
- a Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine (URCRM), Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation
| | - Yu E Kharyuzov
- a Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine (URCRM), Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation
| | - S B Epiphanova
- a Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine (URCRM), Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation
| | - E I Tolstykh
- a Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine (URCRM), Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation
| | - I Deltour
- b Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - J Schüz
- b Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - A V Akleyev
- a Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine (URCRM), Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation
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Hiller MM, Woda C, Bougrov NG, Degteva MO, Ivanov O, Ulanovsky A, Romanov S. External dose reconstruction for the former village of Metlino (Techa River, Russia) based on environmental surveys, luminescence measurements, and radiation transport modelling. RADIATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOPHYSICS 2017; 56:139-159. [PMID: 28374124 DOI: 10.1007/s00411-017-0688-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In the first years of its operation, the Mayak Production Association, a facility part of the Soviet nuclear weapons program in the Southern Urals, Russia, discharged large amounts of radioactively contaminated effluent into the nearby Techa River, thus exposing the people living at this river to external and internal radiations. The Techa River Cohort is a cohort intensely studied in epidemiology to investigate the correlation between low-dose radiation and health effects on humans. For the individuals in the cohort, the Techa River Dosimetry System describes the accumulated dose in human organs and tissues. In particular, organ doses from external exposure are derived from estimates of dose rate in air on the Techa River banks which were estimated from measurements and Monte Carlo modelling. Individual doses are calculated in accordance with historical records of individuals' residence histories, observational data of typical lifestyles for different age groups, and age-dependent conversion factors from air kerma to organ dose. The work here describes an experimentally independent assessment of the key input parameter of the dosimetry system, the integral air kerma, for the former village of Metlino, upper Techa River region. The aim of this work was thus to validate the Techa River Dosimetry System for the location of Metlino in an independent approach. Dose reconstruction based on dose measurements in bricks from a church tower and Monte Carlo calculations was used to model the historic air kerma accumulated in the time from 1949 to 1956 at the shoreline of the Techa River in Metlino. Main issues are caused by a change in the landscape after the evacuation of the village in 1956. Based on measurements and published information and data, two separate models for the historic pre-evacuation geometry and for the current geometry of Metlino were created. Using both models, a value for the air kerma was reconstructed, which agrees with that obtained in the Techa River Dosimetry System within a factor of two.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Hiller
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Radiation Protection, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - C Woda
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Radiation Protection, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - N G Bougrov
- Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - M O Degteva
- Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - O Ivanov
- Kurchatov Institute Moscow, Moscow, 123182, Russia
| | - A Ulanovsky
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Radiation Protection, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - S Romanov
- Southern Urals Biophysics Institute, Ozyorsk, Russia
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