[Hygienic evaluation of radioactive pollution of reservoirs with regard to ecological indices].
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It has been shown that there is a significant increase in total morbidity in children residing in the areas exposed to radioactive pollution due to the accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Power Station. This is due largely to higher morbidity of respiratory disease. There is also an increased in the incidence of digestive diseases, iron-deficiency anemias, mental disorders. The recorded growth of childhood morbidity in the areas examined is much higher than that in the children living in other areas unexposed to radioactive pollution.
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A method of neutron-activation radiography was employed to investigate U distribution in leaves of plants (poplars, birches), growing in areas of mining ores with a high level of U which penetrates plants from the soil via the root system and appears on the surface of leaves, repeating their macrostructure. U also falls out on the surface of leaves in radioactive dust. The shapes of U manifestation permit the identification of its routes of penetration of the leaves of plants. Local U concentration even in an insignificant total excess of a radiation background can be considerable, leading to the destruction of tissues of plants as a result of alpha-radiation of U nuclei. A conclusion has been made of the danger of contamination of agricultural plants, growing in areas with ecological problems.
Qualitative and quantitative determination of radionuclide contamination in environmental samples is often complicated by the presence of uranium- and thorium-series radioelements as well as 40K. High resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy with lithium-drifted germanium detectors provides a method for the determination of man-made radio-nuclide contaminants in many matrices with a minimum of chemical separation. Methods have been studied for increasing the efficiency of such determinations by using large samples in reentrant beakers ("Merinelli beakers") and small samples inside the well of a recently developed Ge(Li) well detector. Specific examples for the determination of 129I(16 m.y. half-life) in the well detector and recent fall-out in grass samples are presented.
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Nuclear accidents are a cause of widespread fear. Treatment of patients exposed to high doses of total body irradiation has very often been ineffective. The use of hematopoietic growth factors may be a new way of treating these patients. This article describes results from studies of total body irradiated animals and clinical experience from treating humans who have been involved in nuclear accidents. G-CSF or GM-CSF administered within three hours after a nuclear accident seems to be of value. Surprisingly, so far bone marrow transplantation seems to be of limited value. Intravenous transfusions of thrombocytes and red blood cells, and the treatment of burns and gastrointestinal symptoms, are important parts of the medical therapy.
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Program of investigations of effects of radiation and iodine prophylaxis undertaken after Czarnobyl accident in Kraków region had to be modified due to goiter endemy in this region. These modifications included: 1) Division of the region into 3 areas (voivodship Nowy Sacz, urban voivodship Kraków and area of Kielce and Swietokrzyskie mountains). 2) Study on iodine uptake in food and urinary secretion. 3) Examination of iodine level in drinking water, add an attempt of calculation of radiation dose absorbed by thyroid. Characterization of selected areas, principles of selection of study groups are presented as well as organizational details and methods of data collection.
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Studies of radioactivity in the Laurentian Great Lakes are reviewed to evaluate the impact of radionuclide dissemination on the world's foremost freshwater aquatic ecosystem. The status of radiologically-degraded areas is also reported. Significant amounts of radioactivity are stored in the basin, which has numerous nuclear reactors as well as uranium mine waste areas. The prevailing low levels of artificially-produced radionuclides, arising largely from previous fallout inputs, provide very little radiation dose to the area residents consuming lake water. The interlake transport of radionuclides is adequately described by existing models, though some refinement of the source term is needed. Revised estimates of fallout over each lake are given, but no data are available to estimate drainage basin contributions. Only limited information is available on the dispersal of radioactive pollutants. The influence of chemical parameters on radionuclide cycling has been extensively investigated in Lake Michigan and, to a lesser degree, in Lake Ontario. The need for developing a radiological objective for fish becomes apparent from an assessment of the very few data collected thus far on the biological and dosimetric aspects. Several research and monitoring needs are also identified.
One of the problems facing the program in the wake of the Chernobyl accident is the estimation of genetic damage to plants and animals. Special attention was directed to studying the influence of radioactive pollutants at the accident site by means of an appropriate test system, using standard genetic subjects. The present study describes such investigations. Levels of persistent genetic damage in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster found in the vicinity of the Chernobyl accident site were examined from August 1986 to September 1989. Evidence is presented which indicates a relationship between the levels of radioactive pollution resulting from the Chernobyl accident and increasing genetic damage to exposed populations. The possible reasons for the decrease of mutation frequency observed in 1988 and 1989 are also discussed. Furthermore, evidence is presented which suggests that radiosensitive Drosophila mutants may be particularly sensitive indicators of radioactive pollution.
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The short-range environmental dispersion and oxidation of a release of tritiated hydrogen (HT) to the atmosphere has been studied in a field experiment. Emphasis was placed on the processes leading to the appearance of tritiated water (HTO) vapor in the atmosphere because HTO is much more radiotoxic than HT. The following conclusions were reached: No evidence was found for the rapid conversion of HT to HTO in the atmosphere; HTO observed in air, during and after the release, arose mainly from HT oxidation in the soil followed by emission of HTO; HT deposition velocities to soil ranged from 0.041 cm s-1 to 0.13 cm s-1, consistent with previous chamber measurements; the rate of HTO loss from soil, averaged over 21 d, was less than 1% h-1; and HTO concentrations in vegetation water initially increased with time after the release, then by 48 h decreased exponentially at a rate similar to soils.
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