ABSTRACT
The analysis of scientific literature is carried out in order to generalize the data of many years of research on radioe- cology of the environment of the population of the Zaporizhzhia region. The results of researches on the main sources of radioactive contamination of the territory, levels and structure of radiation doses of the population due to the natural radiation, diet, medical procedures, and the dose burden of the population are estimated. The main sources of radiation sources existing in the Zaporizhzhia region are considered, their characteristics are given, the rate of their influence on the environment and human is given. For this purpose a wide range of official literary sources and own researches were used.The Zaporizhzhia region is located in the south-eastern part of Ukraine and remarcable of the geomorphological structure, which is characterized by the presence of Ukrainian crystalline array enriched with minerals with an ele- vated level of natural radioactivity. This explains the large component of the radiation dose of the population due to the natural component. Total medieval efficiency of the population dosage of the Zaporizhzhia region at the expense of the natural component - 4,37 mSv, the main contribution to this dose is Radon-222 - 76 %. The level of radon-222 in the air of residential premises ranges from 37 to 112 Bq·m-3. Moreover, the percentage of exceeding the norm (100 Bq·m-3) is from 8% to 62%, depending on the administrative district. On average, 25 % of residential buildings in the region do not match the requirements of NRSU-97 regarding the content of radon in the air of the premises. Even more acute problem of the increased Radon radiation appears for the children's population. Due to the more stringent requirements of NRSU-97 regarding Radon content in the air of premises of preschool education- al institutions (PEI) (50 Bq·m-3), 99% of the premises of the PEI do not match the standards. Doses of children radi- ation because of Radon are higher than in adults and amounted to an average of 6.4 mSv per year with a spread of 4.3-9.7 mSv.The second place after Radon exposure to Zaporozhia region is a medical exposure. The analysis of patient dose loads in recent years suggests that the annual dose of irradiation of the population fluctuates in the range of 0.86-0.97 mSv·year-1, the average dose of irradiation is 0.9 mSv·year-1, which is almost 50 % more than the average Ukrainian rate and exceeds the average in the world twice.In the Zaporizhzhia region, the total annual radiation dose of the population due to the main sources of radiation is 5.0 mSv·year-1, with the main contribution of Radon-222 - 3.3 mSv and medical exposure - 0.9 mSv. Radon-222 in the air of the premises is the most important radiation factor for the population of Zaporizhzhia region, which creates an average risk level that is unacceptable for the population and requires careful regulatory control with the help of governmental and regional programs.
Subject(s)
Radiation Exposure , Radiation Monitoring/methods , Radioactive Pollutants/toxicity , Background Radiation/adverse effects , Humans , Radiation Dosage , Radiation Exposure/adverse effects , Radiation Exposure/analysis , Radon/toxicity , Risk Assessment , UkraineABSTRACT
The article focuses on a scientific literature review connected with data summarizing of long-term studies of pop-ulation exposure to natural ionizing radiation sources. In order to assess the current state of the problem ofensuring radiation protection of the population of Ukraine from natural sources of radiation, the author analyzesthe scientific approaches and principles of the theory of anti-radiation protection by examining the recommen-dations of leading international organizations and the domestic specifics of limiting irradiation from naturalsources. Moreover, it highlights the main historical stages of the introduction of national regulations for limit-ing population exposure to certain natural radiation sources. Besides, the author presents research results of for-eign and national scientists towards the natural radioactivity of environmental compartments and area of humanhabitation.According to the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), an averageannual effective radiation dose per capita from natural sources is 2.4 mSv that is 46 % of the total dose of humanexposure. In Ukraine, a dose from natural radiation sources is 3.5 mSv per year that determines 60% of the total doseof human exposure.Reported by UNSCEAR an average annual dose of human exposure to all factors is 5.2 mSv, while the natural com-ponent with the technogenic enhanced background contributes 4.2 mSv per year to the total dose where there isradon-222 - 1.5 mSv per year. In Ukraine, the total dose of population exposure is rather more and is 5.9 mSv peryear, while the natural component ratio with the technogenic enhanced background is notably higher and up to 5.1mSv per year. Part of radon-222 is 2.4 mSv per year in it.Attention is paid to the reassessment of the magnitude of radiation risks caused by radon, which served as thebasis for improving approaches aimed at ensuring radon safety for the population. Radon is the most determiningradiation factor for the population that requires careful regulatory control by government programs.
