Radiocesium Body Burdens in Immigrants to Israel from Areas of the Ukraine, Belarus and Russia Near Chernobyl

Abstract

Of the 500,000 immigrants from the former Soviet Union who came to Israel during 1990-1993, about 100,000 are estimated to have come from radiocontaminated areas near Chernobyl. These people were subject to chronic uptake of environmental radiocesium over protracted periods. During October-November 1991, a joint Israeli-Canadian investigation measured radiocesium body burdens in immigrants to Israel from the Ukraine, Belarus, and the southern Russian republic in order to provide factual information on radiocesium levels to concerned immigrants and to relate the body burdens to the geographic area of residence before coming to Israel. Assessments were made of 137Cs body burdens in 1,228 volunteer men, women, and children. These measurements were accompanied by medical assessments based on clinical histories and examinations. Radiocesium levels were strongly dependent on the duration of residence in Israel, with the highest levels being found in the most recent immigrants. The maximum level, extrapolated back to the time of leaving the former Soviet Union, was estimated to be about 0.83 kBq (10.3 Bq kg-1). Of the most recent immigrants from the Kiev region (< 101 days in Israel), only 15% had back extrapolated body burdens > 50 Bq, whereas 53% of those coming from Gomel and other towns in the contaminated zones (> 3.7 x 10(10) Bq km-2 of radiocesium) had detectable levels > 50 Bq. People coming from the latter region had significantly higher body burdens as compared to those from the former, in accordance with the higher degree of ground radiocesium contamination reported for the latter region. Women and children showed considerably lower total radiocesium content in comparison to men. All radiocesium body burdens at the time of measurement were too low to be of health concern.

Health effects in a casual sample of immigrants to Israel from areas contaminated by the Chernobyl explosion.

“…We designated communities in areas with 137Cs soil contamination at the level <37 GBq/kM2 as "less exposed" and those with >37 GBq/km2 as "more exposed," based on map data obtained by IAEA (5). This designation has been confirmed by our findings in the '37Cs body burden study (6), as shown in Figure 1. The population sample was stratified into 3 distinct groups by potential exposure: 1) liquidators (47 men and 8 women), persons who worked on ameliorating the consequences of the Chernobyl explosion, 2) 291 males and 397 females who had lived in more exposed areas, and 3) 351 males and 466 females who had lived in the less exposed areas.…”

Health Effects in a Casual Sample of Immigrants to Israel from Areas Contaminated by the Chernobyl Explosion

“…This designation has been confirmed by our findings in the '37Cs body burden study (6), as shown in Figure 1. The population sample was stratified into 3 distinct groups by potential exposure: 1) liquidators (47 men and 8 women), persons who worked on ameliorating the consequences of the Chernobyl explosion, 2) 291 males and 397 females who had lived in more exposed areas, and 3) 351 males and 466 females who had lived in the less exposed areas.…”

Lessons learned from the study of immigrants to Israel from areas of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine contaminated by the Chernobyl accident.

“…(10). All radiocesium body burdens at the time of measurement were too low for any concerns about health (9). However, the whole-body radiocesium measurements of this population demonstrated that it could be divided into comparison groups coming from areas of relatively high or low levels of ground contamination.…”