Frequency of dicentrics and contamination levels in Ukrainian children and adolescents from areas near Chernobyl 20 years after the nuclear plant accident

Abstract

Purpose: To survey the possible presence of chromosomal damage and internal contamination in a group of Ukrainian children and adolescents, 20 years after the Chernobyl accident at the Nuclear Power Plant.

Materials and methods: Cytogenetical procedures were performed according to dicentric assay in 55 Ukrainian children and adolescents (29 boys and 26 girls), living near Chernobyl. In addition, a whole body detector and urinalysis were used to detect internal contamination.

Results: 36 dicentrics were found in a total of 53,477 metaphases scored in these children, which reflected a frequency of dicentrics below the background level. On the other hand, internal contamination was not detected in any subject studied.

Conclusions: Since the estimated absorbed dose is below the detection limit, according to both biological and physical dosimetry, radiation overexposure during the last 3–5 years has not been detected in the considered subjects.

Keywords::

• Dicentrics
• biological dosimetry
• contamination levels
• Ukrainian children
• Chernobyl accident

Acknowledgements

We should like to dedicate this paper to the memory of Dr. Miguel Almonacid Bujeda, a superb individual, with whom We had the good fortune to work with for a number of years. Also many thanks to Paul Gutteridge for the English revision.

The authors thank Vicent Guardia and Javier Rivero from LAINSA (Unidad Técnica de Protección Radiológica de Logística y Acondicionamientos Industriales S.A.) for their help and work. The authors express their appreciation to Marisa Navarro, nurse from the Radioprotection Department from Hospital La Fe, for her help and support. We also thank Tatiana Sviridenko and her family, Lidia Ponomar, Larisa Kulyk, the medical staff in Ivankiv Hospital, the Regional Health Department of Kiev, and the help of a local Non- Governmental Organization (Fundación Juntos por la Vida).

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

This research was supported in part by Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe (Valencia) and Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear (2696/SRO), as well as by Laboratorio farmacéutico IBA Molecular Spain, S.A.