The whole-body incorporation of radioactive caesium in Switzerland during the last 30 years: a survey of young persons in Geneva and some measurements of Belarusian and Ukrainian children.
In a cross-sectional study, at least 40 young men and women about 18 years old (half of each sex) were selected each year, and the body concentration of 137Cs was measured in a whole-body counter. This radioisotope, with a half-life of 30 years, originates from the atom bomb explosions in the atmosphere, which were stopped in 1963, or from the accident at Chernobyl. The concentrations due to the emissions from this reactor remained below one-third of the values due to atomic bombs. The results in children from Belarus who spent a few weeks in Switzerland in the summer are lower than would have been expected according to the literature from Russia, but correspond to those recently obtained in situ by international scientific teams.
Donath
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Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D001822:Body Burden; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009689:Nuclear Warfare; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D002094:Republic of Belarus; D014455:Ukraine; D014915:Whole-Body Counting
D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes