STATUS AND RESULTS OF RADIATION-HYGIENIC MONITORING OF SETTLEMENTS IN RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED AREAS OF UKRAINE AT...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Radiation Hygiene
• Public Health

Background:

• Radioactively Contaminated Territories (RCT) in Ukraine still pose risks from the Chornobyl accident.
• Long-term monitoring is crucial for understanding population exposure dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze radiation-hygienic monitoring results in Ukrainian RCT settlements.
• To assess the dynamics of factors contributing to population exposure doses from 2012-2024.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive radiation-hygienic monitoring in 23 settlements across Kyiv, Rivne, and Zhytomyr regions.
• Inclusion of internal and external exposure dose assessments, radionuclide analysis (137Cs, 90Sr), and dietary surveys.
• Application of dosimetric, radiochemical, and mathematical methods.

Main Results:

• A general decrease in internal exposure levels was observed across all surveyed regions.
• Annual effective doses were primarily from internal exposure, below the 1 mSv·y⁻¹ RCT criterion in recent years.
• Incorporated Cesium-137 (137Cs) from food, particularly milk and forest products, is the main factor for internal dose.

Conclusions:

• Continued monitoring of radioactive contamination in food products, especially forest-harvested items, is essential.
• Ongoing monitoring of population exposure doses in Chornobyl-affected areas is necessary.
• The radiation-ecological situation necessitates sustained vigilance and research.