[PLUTONIUM AND LIFETIME REDUCTION AMONG PROFESSIONAL WORKERS FSUE].

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Radiobiology
• Epidemiology

Context:

• Mayak Production Association (PA) workers employed between 1948-1958 experienced occupational exposure to incorporated Plutonium-239 (Pu-239).
• Assessing the long-term health effects of internal radioactive contamination is crucial for understanding occupational risks.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the impact of incorporated Pu-239 on the lifespan of Mayak PA workers.
• To determine the relationship between Pu-239 incorporation levels and mortality from both tumor and non-tumor causes.
• To quantify the reduction in lifespan using Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL).

Summary:

• A cohort of Mayak PA workers exposed to Pu-239 between 1948-1958 showed a significant decrease in age at death, correlating with increased Pu-239 incorporation.
• Mortality rates from malignant neoplasms, particularly lung and liver cancers (primary Pu-239 deposition sites), were elevated.
• For the first time, a decrease in age at death from both tumor and non-tumor causes, linked to Pu-239 incorporation in primary and secondary deposition organs, was identified.
• Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) calculations demonstrated a significant dependence on Pu-239 incorporation levels, with radiation-induced earlier death contributing more than increased mortality rates.

Impact:

• This study reveals a direct link between internal Pu-239 exposure and reduced lifespan in an occupational cohort.
• Findings highlight the critical role of early-onset mortality, rather than just increased mortality rates, in assessing radiation-induced life expectancy reduction.
• The results underscore the importance of stringent radiation protection measures in nuclear industries to mitigate long-term health consequences.