Abstract
The Chernobyl fallout caused release of radioisotope contaminants in a very large area that includes Belarus, the Ukraine, and the Russian Federation. In this study, the authors monitored the health status and level of internal contamination in 422 children who resided in the aforementioned areas and who were ≤ 10 y of age at the time of the accident. The children came to Italy for a 1-mo period between 1991 and 1992. During this time, the children underwent pediatric checkups and biochemical, immunological, and thyroid analyses. All children underwent whole-body counter measurements, and urine radiotoxicological analysis was performed for 224 of them. The 24 children evacuated from Pripiat, a village very close to the Chernobyl reactor site, were selected for cytogenetic analysis. All of these children continue to have a detectable internal contamination of caesium radioisotopes. This condition is likely the result of ground and foodstuff contamination in the various areas. The children did not evidence overt pathologies related to ionizing radiation. However, minor alterations in immunological and thyroid parameters were observed in the group of the evacuated children. Traditional cytogenetic dosimetry was not possible, but the occurrence of acentric fragments was observed-indicating a persistent effect of continuous exposure to low doses of radiation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 181-186 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Archives of Environmental Health |
| Volume | 55 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 2000 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science(all)
- Environmental Chemistry
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Cite this
Health status and internal radiocontamination assessment in children exposed to the fallout of the Chernobyl accident. / DeVita, Raffaele; Olivieri, Antonella; Spinelli, Angela; Grollino, Maria G.; Padovani, Laura; Tarroni, Giuseppe; Cozza, Raffaele; Sorcini, Mariella; Pennelli, Pio; Casparrini, Giuseppe; Crescenzi, Giovanni Serlupi; Mauro, Francesco; Carta, Salvatore.
In: Archives of Environmental Health, Vol. 55, No. 3, 2000, p. 181-186.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Health status and internal radiocontamination assessment in children exposed to the fallout of the Chernobyl accident
AU - DeVita, Raffaele
AU - Olivieri, Antonella
AU - Spinelli, Angela
AU - Grollino, Maria G.
AU - Padovani, Laura
AU - Tarroni, Giuseppe
AU - Cozza, Raffaele
AU - Sorcini, Mariella
AU - Pennelli, Pio
AU - Casparrini, Giuseppe
AU - Crescenzi, Giovanni Serlupi
AU - Mauro, Francesco
AU - Carta, Salvatore
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - The Chernobyl fallout caused release of radioisotope contaminants in a very large area that includes Belarus, the Ukraine, and the Russian Federation. In this study, the authors monitored the health status and level of internal contamination in 422 children who resided in the aforementioned areas and who were ≤ 10 y of age at the time of the accident. The children came to Italy for a 1-mo period between 1991 and 1992. During this time, the children underwent pediatric checkups and biochemical, immunological, and thyroid analyses. All children underwent whole-body counter measurements, and urine radiotoxicological analysis was performed for 224 of them. The 24 children evacuated from Pripiat, a village very close to the Chernobyl reactor site, were selected for cytogenetic analysis. All of these children continue to have a detectable internal contamination of caesium radioisotopes. This condition is likely the result of ground and foodstuff contamination in the various areas. The children did not evidence overt pathologies related to ionizing radiation. However, minor alterations in immunological and thyroid parameters were observed in the group of the evacuated children. Traditional cytogenetic dosimetry was not possible, but the occurrence of acentric fragments was observed-indicating a persistent effect of continuous exposure to low doses of radiation.
AB - The Chernobyl fallout caused release of radioisotope contaminants in a very large area that includes Belarus, the Ukraine, and the Russian Federation. In this study, the authors monitored the health status and level of internal contamination in 422 children who resided in the aforementioned areas and who were ≤ 10 y of age at the time of the accident. The children came to Italy for a 1-mo period between 1991 and 1992. During this time, the children underwent pediatric checkups and biochemical, immunological, and thyroid analyses. All children underwent whole-body counter measurements, and urine radiotoxicological analysis was performed for 224 of them. The 24 children evacuated from Pripiat, a village very close to the Chernobyl reactor site, were selected for cytogenetic analysis. All of these children continue to have a detectable internal contamination of caesium radioisotopes. This condition is likely the result of ground and foodstuff contamination in the various areas. The children did not evidence overt pathologies related to ionizing radiation. However, minor alterations in immunological and thyroid parameters were observed in the group of the evacuated children. Traditional cytogenetic dosimetry was not possible, but the occurrence of acentric fragments was observed-indicating a persistent effect of continuous exposure to low doses of radiation.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0033947906&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
VL - 55
SP - 181
EP - 186
JO - Archives of Environmental Health
JF - Archives of Environmental Health
SN - 0003-9896
IS - 3
ER -