Dietary intakes of Cs-137 and iodine in Ukrainians

Abstract

Not only global contamination by radioactive nuclides but also political, economical and health effects were caused by the Chernobyl accident. This year marks 20^th anniversary of the accident. Contamination in the environment has been studied by many researchers in the years since the accident. We have made several studies in the Ukraine, from the viewpoints of radiation protection, nutrition and public health. Daily intakes of radioactive Cs and stable I are reported. About 300 whole diet samples were collected from all 25 regions of the Ukraine. A part of the samples were freeze-dried and the rest of the samples were incinerated in a furnace. Radioactive Cs in ash samples was determined by γ-spectrometry. Iodine was determined by ICP-MS after separating by pyrohydrolysis.
Daily ¹³⁷Cs intakes in Ukrainians were in the range of 0.5-570Bq/p. The ¹³⁴Cs was found in Ukrainian diet. The annual effective dose calculated using 570Bq/p and ingestion dose coefficient was ca. 3mSv/y, which was 10 times higher than natural internal exposure through food (UNSCEAR2000). An estimated I intake (30μg) of contaminated areas was lower than total mean (45μg) of Ukrainians. The lower I intake in the contaminated areas would be more effective to thyroid abnormality after the Chernobyl accident.