Physical Dosimetry of Chernobyl Cleanup Workers

Abstract

This paper presents a critical review of dosimetric monitoring practices during Chernobyl cleanup from 1986 to 1990. Dosimetric monitoring is considered in time evolution with respect to legislative background (including dose limits), methods of dose assessment, and coverage of workers with radiation monitoring programs as well as availability of data on individual doses of liquidators. Four large independent dosimetry services (Administration of Construction No. 605, Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Production Association "Combinat," and the troops) had operated in Chernobyl covering different cohorts of cleanup workers with dosimetric monitoring of variable quality and comprehension. Extremes in this range were presented by the highly professional dosimetry service of the Administration of Construction No. 605 (USSR Ministry of Medium Machinery), which had provided total coverage of workers with high quality individual thermoluminescent dosimeter monitoring, and military (troops of the USSR Ministry of Defense) who had received the least precise group dosimetry, which, however, had covered the whole population of military cleanup workers. The main groups of liquidators are considered from the point of view of completeness and quality of their dosimetric data. Main gaps in dosimetric data and limitations of existing dose records are identified. The issues of evolution of dose limits and problems of monitoring internal and beta exposure are considered from the point of view of significance of these components and the need for missing information.

Dosimetry Support of the Ukrainian-American Case-control Study of Leukemia and Related Disorders Among Chornobyl Cleanup Workers

“…Reconstruction of individual doses due to external gamma-irradiation for the subjects of Ukrainian-American Chornobyl Ocular Study (UACOS) (Worgul et al 2007) was based on retrospective assessment of reliability and possible bias of ODRs and their recalibration against EPR dosimetry with tooth enamel in this case (Chumak et al 2007). Results suggested that ODRs of military liquidators overestimate EPR doses by a factor of 2.2, and that ODRs should be adjusted (recalibrated) prior to use in risk analysis.…”

“…The reliability and validity of the official doses depend on the time period considered and the type of work performed (Ilyin 1995; Chumak 2007; Bouville and Kryuchkov 2014). Reviews of official doses have revealed their possible bias and low accuracy, to degrees strongly correlated with the affiliation of the cleanup worker and, therefore, the type of dosimetric monitoring received at the time of cleanup (Chumak 2007).…”

“…Reviews of official doses have revealed their possible bias and low accuracy, to degrees strongly correlated with the affiliation of the cleanup worker and, therefore, the type of dosimetric monitoring received at the time of cleanup (Chumak 2007). For instance, military liquidators, who account for about 50% of the cohort, have the most imprecise and biased dosimetric data (Chumak et al 2008, Skaletsky 2007).…”

Non-cancer morbidity among Estonian Chernobyl cleanup workers: a register-based cohort study

“…As described elsewhere,1 22 23 the cleanup workers were dominantly exposed to γ-radiation released mainly by 131 I, 134 Cs and 137 Cs. Received radiation doses were measured by individual or group dosimeters, or estimated by work area measurements.…”

Radrue Method for Reconstruction of External Photon Doses for Chernobyl Liquidators in Epidemiological Studies

“…gamma and x-rays) doses that depended primarily on their work locations and on the time after the accident when the work was performed. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, individual doses were monitored inadequately or were not monitored at all for the majority of liquidators (Chumak 2007). There were also problems with the registration and archival of the results of dosimetric monitoring.…”