title: Environmental radioactivity, population exposure and related health risks in the east Baltic region.
abstract: The paper considers radioactive contamination of the east Baltic region, population exposures, and the risk of damage to human health. Principal sources include global fallout, the Chernobyl accident, and marine transport of radionuclides. A mean annual exposure of 2-3 mSv comes from environmental radioactivity. Main contributors are primarily radon and its decay products. The Chernobyl accident brought an additional dose of about 0.5 mSv in southern Finland and 1.4 mSv in the most contaminated districts of the Leningrad region, Russia. Both external and internal exposure via contaminated food contributed. Currently, significant long-term radiological consequences of the Chernobyl accident include persistent radioactive contamination of natural terrestrial (forest) and freshwater (oligotrophic lakes) ecosystems and food products. Radiation health risks are lung cancer among the general population from indoor exposure to radon, acute radiation syndrome from occupational exposure, thyroid cancer among children in heavily contaminated non-Baltic areas, and mutations among offspring of exposed parents.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiation Hygiene, St Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Balonov
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Krisyuk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramel
mesh_terms: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D001454:Baltic States / Q000453:epidemiology; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005399:Fishes; D005507:Food Contamination, Radioactive; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011210:Power Plants; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D012307:Risk Factors; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D012990:Soil Pollutants, Radioactive