Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Research Articles

Assessment of Radiation Risks of Mortality from Circulatory System Diseases in the Cohort of Liquidators of the Consequences of the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Considering the Influence of Other Diseases Identified During the Observation Period

Assessment of Radiation Risks of Mortality from Circulatory System Diseases in the Cohort of Liquidators of the Consequences of the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Considering the Influence of Other Diseases Identified During the Observation Period

Comparison between the Baltic Sea and Irish Sea level of Cs-137 contamination on benthic, demersal and pelagic fish species

The Irish Sea and the Baltic Sea are nowadays still the two most Cs-137 contaminated Seas worldwide. However, the origins of this contaminations are completely different. While the Baltic Sea was unintentionally contaminated due to global fallout after the accident in the Chernobyl nuclear powerplant in 1986, the Irish sea was intentionally used for low level liquid radioactive waste discharges from the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing facility (called Windscale until 1981) between the 1950s and 1990s. Nowadays, more than 30 years later, it is still possible to detect these contaminations in fish, water and sediments of both seas. Since fish are an important part of the human diet, monitoring Cs-137 levels in fish is essential for assessing the potential radiation exposure to humans. In 2019 and 2020 two surveys were dedicated to study the current levels of radioactive contamination in fish species from both Seas. During both surveys, fish samples were collected and analysed by gamma spectrometry later on. The results show that the average Cs-137 activity in benthic, demersal and pelagic fish species from the Baltic Sea are 2.7, 4.6 and 4.2, respectively, times higher than the corresponding values of the Irish Sea. Based on this and two other comparisons, it is concluded that the Baltic Sea is the most contaminated with Cs-137.

Distribution of 137Cs specific activity in river sediments of the Barents Sea basin (Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russian Arctic).

This article focuses on the study of the distribution of 137Cs in the bottom sediments of Arctic rivers of the Barents Sea basin (using the example of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russian Arctic). This research is relevant due to the poorly studied region and the significant number of radiation-hazardous facilities in the Arctic zone of Russia, both those currently in operation and those that are "nuclear heritage sites". The study of 137Cs specific activity in bottom sediments was carried out in the period from 2020 to 2023 in the rivers Chizha, Nes, Vizhas, Oma, Pechora (river delta), as well as the rivers Kolva and Usa (first and second order tributaries, respectively, of the Pechora River). A total of 199 samples were collected. In addition to 137Cs specific activity, the samples were analysed for sediment particle size distribution, organic matter content, carbonate content and ash content. The 137Cs specific activity mainly ranged from the minimum detectable specific activity to 5.4 ± 0.8Bq·kg-1. In the Nes River basin (Kaninskaya tundra), the 137Cs content in bottom sediments reached 36.0 ± 3.2Bq·kg-1 (in the case of lake sediments) and 22.9 ± 3.7Bq·kg-1 (in the case of river sediments), values that are higher than those of the North-West of Russia. Considering the large area of the study area (Kaninskaya tundra, Pechora river delta, southern part of Bolshezemelskaya tundra) and the similarity of physical and chemical parameters of the studied rivers, it is possible to assume the existence of a zone of increased radionuclide content in the Nes river basin. This may be due to the runoff from the Nes River catchment area, its hydrological features, and the accumulation of 137Cs in the small fractions of bottom sediments. The results confirm the conclusions of previous soil studies in the Nes river basin. The main sources of elevated 137Cs content are global atmospheric deposition and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident.

The surface of small glaciers as radioactive hotspots: Concentration of radioisotopes during predicted intensive melting in the Alps

Glaciers are considered secondary sources of pollutants, including radioisotopes such as Cesium or Plutonium, with heightened concentrations compared to other ecosystems. The predicted melting of glaciers poses a substantial risk of releasing stored radioisotopes, yet understanding the glacier-specific factors influencing their concentration remains limited. This study investigates the relationship between glacier altitude, surface area, organic matter content in dark supraglacial sediment (cryoconite), precipitation, and activity concentrations of natural (210Pb) and anthropogenic radionuclides (137Cs and 241Am) across 19 Alpine glaciers. Results indicate that radioisotope concentrations depend on organic matter content in the cryoconite, highlighting the role of biotic-abiotic interactions in pollutant accumulation on glaciers. Moreover, 210Pb activity concentration decreases with glacier altitude, likely due to atmospheric variations in 222Rn. Water precipitation events, such as during peaks in 137Cs deposition and after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster, do not impact current activity concentrations. Importantly, radioisotope concentrations in cryoconite are higher on smaller glaciers. This directly supports the hypothesis that the cryoconite retains a significant share of radioisotopes stored in the ice during intensive melting. Since many small glaciers in the Alps are predicted to disappear within the next 50 years, we anticipate release of radioisotopes to mountain ecosystems might be higher than previously forecasted.

ОЦЕНКА РАДИАЦИОННОГО РИСКА СМЕРТИ ОТ СЕРДЕЧНО-СОСУДИСТЫХ ЗАБОЛЕВАНИЙ ЛИКВИДАТОРОВ ПОСЛЕДСТВИЙ АВАРИИ НА ЧАЭС – РАБОТНИКОВ ПРЕДПРИЯТИЙ АТОМНОЙ ПРОМЫШЛЕННОСТИ ПО ДАННЫМ О ДОЗАХ РАЗЛИЧНЫХ ВИДОВ ОБЛУЧЕНИЯ

Background: Assessment of the risk of death from circulatory system diseases due to radiation exposure in liquidators of the Chernobyl accident consequences (hereinafter referred to as liquidators) using data on doses of various types of exposure. Material and methods: The work used the information base of the Industry Register of persons exposed to radiation as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (hereinafter referred to as the register), nuclear industry workers. The radiation risk assessment study included men - 12,706 liquidators who had data on external emergency radiation doses when working in the 30 km Chernobyl NPP zone, 1,327 of them had data on occupational radiation doses. Poisson regression was chosen as the statistical model of risk. The study covers the period from 1987 to 2021. During the observation period, the register accumulated 304,023 person/years. The majority of the register in 1986 was made up of men – 84.7 %, women – 15.3 %. Results: When data on doses of different types of radiation are used to calculate doses, different results of excess relative risk are obtained. Only the total radiation dose (occupational, emergency, medical, natural) can provide correct results for calculating the radiation risk of death from radiation-induced diseases. Conclusion: The prospect of research should be considered to be filling the information base of the Industry Register with data on doses of all types of radiation.

Thyroid Cancer in Regions Most Contaminated after the Chernobyl Disaster.

Exposure to ionizing radiation, especially during childhood, is a well-established risk factor for thyroid cancer. Following the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident the total number of cases of thyroid cancer registered between 1991 and 2015 in males and females who were less than 18 years old exceeded 19,000 (in Belarus and Ukraine, and in the most contaminated oblasts of the Russian Federation). However, as indicated by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation the fraction of the incidence of thyroid cancer attributable to radiation exposure among the non-evacuated residents of the contaminated regions of Belarus, Ukraine and Russia is of the order of 0.25. Apparently, the increased registration of thyroid neoplasms in the parts of these countries is a classical 'screening effect', i.e., massive diagnostic examinations of the risk-aware populations performed with modern eqipment resulting in detection of many occult neoplasms (incidentalomas). Moreover, one type of thyroid cancer previously called 'encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma' is non-invasive and instead of 'carcinoma' should now be recognized as 'noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features.' Other potential causes of overdiagnosing of thyroid tumors include increase of the spontaneous incidence rate of this disease with age, iodine deficiency among children from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, and/or consumption by these children of drinking water containing high levels of nitrates that likely coincides with the carcinogenic effect of radiation on the thyroid gland.

A study of particle dry deposition parameterizations in an atmospheric radioactive preparedness model: Application to the Chernobyl case

Parameterization of dry deposition is key for modelling of atmospheric transport and deposition of radioactive particles. Still, very simple parameterizations are often encountered in radioactive preparedness models such as the SNAP model (SNAP=Severe Nuclear Accident Program) of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. In SNAP a constant dry deposition velocity (=0.2 cm/s) neglecting aerodynamic and surface resistances, is presently used. Therefore, two new dry depositions schemes (the Emerson scheme and the EMEP (European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme) scheme) have been implemented in SNAP to evaluate the benefits of including aerodynamic and surface resistances codes with respect to model prediction skills. The three dry deposition schemes are evaluated using 137Cs total deposition from soil sample data (n = 540) for a 60 km radial zone out from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) collected during the months after the accident. The present study capitalizes on high resolution meteorological data (2.5 km horizontal resolution), a detailed land-use data set with 273 sub-classes and the hitherto most comprehensive source term description for the Chernobyl accident. Based on our findings it is recommended to replace the present simple SNAP scheme with the Emerson or EMEP dry deposition scheme.

Wpływ katastrofy elektrowni atomowej w Czarnobylu na raka tarczycy – przegląd najnowszych doniesień

Wpływ katastrofy elektrowni atomowej w Czarnobylu na raka tarczycy – przegląd najnowszych doniesień

Exploring Domestic Reasons for Cooperation on the Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Project

As a result of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986, the British public generally has a negative attitude towards nuclear power, coupled with the lobbying of Greenpeace and other organizations opposed to nuclear energy. Since the completion of the Sizewell B nuclear power plant in 1995, the UK has not built a single new nuclear power plant and has been lagging behind in nuclear energy construction. With climate change and security of supply issues coming to the fore, it was not until the 2006 Energy White Paper that the government put nuclear energy back on the agenda. It took another decades of planning, review and approval before the UK finally signed an agreement with Electricité de France for the construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in 2016. The UK has not built a new nuclear power project for more than 20 years, and this paper analyzes the attitudinal preferences of different actors within the UK behind the cooperation on the Hinkley Point C nuclear power project, based on an understanding of the context and current situation of the UK in terms of climate change and security of energy supply.

BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE GREATEST NUCLEAR DISASTERS: WHAT IS KNOWN SO FAR AND WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS?

Abstract. The high potential of nuclear power to combat climate change and support sustainable development plays a critical role in achieving the goal of the Paris Agreement. Moreover, with the ever-increasing demand for electricity, it is essential to consider nuclear power as a reliable source of energy. However, it should be noted that although the risk of a radiological accident is small, it always exists, and therefore it is crucial to have a complete understanding of the management of nuclear power. Herein, we present a statistical review of nuclear accident research at Chernobyl and Fukushima Nuclear Power Plants using bibliometric analysis to identify key patterns in scientific results and current issues in accident research. More than 10,000 articles have been collected from the SCOPUS database covering the periods 1986–2022 and 2011–2022 on Chernobyl and Fukushima, respectively. The results were obtained from two perspectives: first, we identified stages through which pre- and post-accident researches have evolved, and then we analysed the spatial correlation between energy-economic performance and scientific literature for the leading productive countries. From the analysis of research trends, it was found that the number of articles increased sharply immediately after the accident and slightly decreased over time. Among the most attractive subject categories in terms of the largest number of publications and received citations were environmental sciences, medicine and energy policy. The productive country ranking was mostly topped by the country in which the accident occurred. Spatial statistical analysis revealed a strong correlation between the scientific productivity and energy-economic performance of the leading countries.

Regulatory connections of the folate cycle and pituitary-thyroid hormones in children from areas affected by the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant

The aim of this article is to formulate a scientific conception about the regulatory connections of the folate cycle (FC) and the pituitary-thyroid axis based on the results of the authors’ research conducted when examining children from areas affected by the Chоrnobyl accident. Materials and methods: analytical, bibliographic. The research materials are published research articles by the authors. Results. During the statistical and correlation analysis of metabolic parameters of children from areas bordering the Chоrnobyl nuclear power plant, an association was revealed between FC and hormones of the pituitary-thyroid axis. A scientific conception is presented about the participation of homocysteine (Hcy) in the regulation of hormonogenesis of the thyroid gland (TG), according to which Hcy activates the synthesis of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the cells of the adenohypophysis (AH). In turn, TSH activates the process of T4 deodination with the formation of T3 in peripheral tissues. At the same time, Hcy is also directly involved in the formation of cysteine, a component of the coenzyme part of 5-Di deiodinase, which also enhances the process of T3 formation. T3, acting on the MTHFR FC, enhances the formation of CH3-MTHF, and thereby activates the process of Hcy methylation. A decrease in the concentration of Hcy in the blood leads to a decrease in the formation of TSH in AG cells. Thus, T3 blocks the synthesis of TSH, through FC, enhancing the process of Hcy methylation. Conclusions. The regulation of the interaction between hypertension and the thyroid gland is carried out using the sulfur-containing amino acid Hcy, a product of methionine metabolism. THS production is not suppressed by T3, but by a decrease in Hcy blood concentration associated with T3 effects on FC. The increase in Hcy content in the blood of children from settlements located near the Chоrnobyl Nuclear Power Plant is due to mutation of the genes responsible for the synthesis of the main FC enzymes, as well as exposure to radionuclides incorporated into their body. The state of hyperhomocysteinemia can cause changes in thyroid hormone metabolism, creating the illusion of hypothyroidism.

International law obligations for the disposal of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water under the principles of nuclear safety

The disposal of contaminated water from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant is a significant international nuclear safety issue with considerable cross-border implications. This matter requires compliance not only with the law of the sea but also with the principles of nuclear safety under international law. These principles serve as the overarching tenet of international and China’s domestic nuclear laws, applicable to nuclear facilities and activities. The principle of safety in nuclear activities is fully recognized in international and domestic laws, carrying broad legal binding force. Japan’s discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea violates its obligations under the principle of safety in nuclear activities, including commitments to optimum protection, as low as reasonably practicable, and prevention. The Japanese government and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have breached the obligation of optimum protection by restricting the scope of assessments, substituting core concepts, and shielding dissenting views. In the absence of clear radiation standards, they have acted unilaterally without fulfilling the obligation as low as reasonably practicable principle. The discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water poses an imminent and unpredictable risk to all countries worldwide, including Japanese residents. Japan and the IAEA should fulfill their obligations under international law regarding disposal, adhering to the principles of nuclear safety, including optimum protection, the obligation as low as reasonably practicable, and prevention through multilateral cooperation. Specifically, the obligation to provide optimum protection should be implemented by re-evaluating the most reliable disposal technologies and methods currently available and comprehensively assessing various options. The standard of the obligation as low as reasonably practicable requires that the minimization of negative impacts on human health, livelihoods, and the environment should not be subordinated to considerations of cutting costs and expenses. Multilateral cooperation should be promoted through the establishment of sound multilateral long-term monitoring mechanisms for the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water, notification and consultation obligations, and periodic assessments. These obligations under international law were fulfilled after the accidents at the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl nuclear power plants. The implications of the principles of nuclear safety align with the concept of building a community of shared future for nuclear safety advocated by China. In cases of violations of international law regarding the disposal of nuclear-contaminated water that jeopardize the concept of a community of a shared future for nuclear safety, China can also rely on its own strength to promote the implementation of due obligations through self-help.

Dynamics of radioactive contamination of lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) in the forests of Zhytomyr Polissia (Ukraine) since the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident

The article presents results of study of levels of radioactive soil contamination and 137Cs activity concentration in the aboveground part of lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) phytomass and berries on permanent experimental plots in different years since the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident (forest site type conditions — moist fairly infertile pine site type (B3), soils — soddy-podzolic sandy-loam on fluvioglacial sands). The research was conducted at the Poliskyi Branch of the Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration named after G.M. Vysotsky over the years 1998–2021, utilized methods generally accepted in forest science and radioecology were used. Results were processed using statistical analysis. To substantiate the research, an official reporting data from forestry enterprises of the Volyn, Rivne and Zhytomyr regions were used. An analytical review of the state of research on this problem revealed that at the last 10–15 years there were no scientific publications on the study of 137Cs contamination of lingonberry. It was demonstrated that there was significant reduction in the density of radioactive soil contamination and 137Cs activity concentration in the aboveground part of lingonberry phytomass and berries in the forests of the research region over the observation period. It was found that the main part of the total 137Cs activity is currently located in the upper (10 cm) layer of the mineral part of the soil — 74.7% where root systems of herbaceous and dwarf-shrub species are concentrated in forest ecosystems. It was established that a considerable content of the radionuclide is retained in the aboveground part of lingonberry phytomass even with low density of radioactive soil contamination. It was found that in 1998, at relatively low value of soil 137Cs contamination density (49±5.6 kBq∙m–2), specific activity of 137Cs in aboveground phytomass of lingonberry was 8043±511 Bq∙kg–1, while in 2021 (value of soil 137Cs contamination density 22±0.3 kBq∙m–2) — 1046±182 Bq∙kg–1. The values of radionuclide transfer coefficients in 1998 were quite significant and varied within wide range: in the air-dry aboveground phytomass from 33.4 to 164.1 m2∙kg–1∙10–3 and in the fresh berries, from 9.5 to 26.0 m2∙kg–1∙10–3. Dependencies between density of radioactive soil contamination and the content of 137Cs in the aboveground part of lingonberry phytomass and berries were calculated, which can be applied in the practice of their harvesting. It was found that lingonberry belongs to the group of plants characterized by the high content of 137Cs in the aboveground vegetative phytomass. Harvesting of lingonberry leaves for the production of medicinal products should be restricted in all areas contaminated with 137Cs. Lingonberry fresh berries can be harvested in areas with a radioactive soil contamination density up to 74 kBq∙m–2.

ЕКОЛОГО-ЕКОНОМІЧНІ НAСЛІДКИ AВAРІЇ НA ЧОРНОБИЛЬСЬКІЙ AЕС ТA ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ РОЗВИТКУ ТУРИЗМУ В РЕГІОНІ

The article examines the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, which led to radioactive contamination in the environment, which significantly exceeds acceptable levels of radiation safety. According to the data of the DSNS of Ukraine, as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, 95% of the territory of Ukraine became aware of high-level radioactive contamination. The main consequences of the accident were: radioactive contamination of warehouse parts by ecosystems: summer-, liquid-atmosphere, soil and soil surfaces; influx on living organisms; extraction of significant territories and natural resources from folk resources. The biggest blow, which is impossible to evaluate in penny equivalent, is that the accident took a toll on the health of Ukrainians. In this regard, the problem exists for both the current and future generations. The current relevance and necessity of investigating the traces of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant does not raise everyday doubts. Therefore, the development of environmental, medical, social and economical research will be sufficiently expanded on the scientific level and on the level of society. Today, tourists are increasingly interested in new types of tourism, which include unique tourist destinations, including those associated with manmade disasters. One of the worst man-made disasters in human history is the accident of 1986. At the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant there are some remarkable legacies to this day. For those who want to learn from their eyes and perceive the atmosphere of the legacy of this terrible catastrophe, there is more to come. The Chornobyl tourist route is popular among both foreign and domestic tourists. The legacy of the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is complex and richly nuanced, and is being studied by a wide range of scientists – geographers, ecologists, economists, sociologists, etc. oh Ecological-geographical, landscape and medical-geographical aspects of the identified problems are developed in the scientific research of V. Baranovsky, D. Grodzinsky, V. Davidchuk, V. Dol Ina, M. Petrova, E. Sobotovicha, L. Sorokina, V. Shevchenko.

Environmental Impact of Kakhovka Dam Breach and Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Explosion on Dnieper River Landscape

Environmental Impact of Kakhovka Dam Breach and Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Explosion on Dnieper River Landscape

THE DEVELOPMENT OF ECOLOGICAL THINKING IN PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES AND ENSURING THE FUNCTIONING OF THE ECONOMY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The deterioration of the majority of ecosystems in the biosphere, significant reduction in bioproductivity and biodiversity, catastrophic depletion of soils and mineral resources due to unprecedented pollution of the Earth's surface, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, are all linked to the intensive growth of the global population and the development of scientific and technological progress over the past 50 years. The necessity to meet the ever-increasing needs of human society has led to a tremendous expansion of economic activities, changes in the proportions of the world economy, production capacities, techniques, and technologies, as well as the variety of products and consumption patterns. The production and consumption models that have emerged in the world no longer correspond to the conditions of sustainable coexistence between humans and nature. The analysis of the state of the natural environment indicates that in recent years, there have been no significant positive shifts in the ecological situation, and in some areas, it has even worsened. The high concentration of industry and agriculture, along with ecologically unjustified economic activities, have made Ukraine one of the most environmentally troubled countries in Europe. The situation was significantly exacerbated by the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident and the armed conflict in Ukraine. The aim of the article is to develop of ecological thinking involves aligning human practical activities with the laws of nature and ensuring that the economy operates in accordance with the requirements of environmental preservation. The study of human ecology is an interdisciplinary science that focuses on a clearly defined and specific set of issues. In its research, it utilizes both general scientific methods (grounded in philosophical and general scientific principles) and specific methods (characteristic of certain fields of scientific activity). General scientific methods include empirical research methods (observation, measurement, comparison) and empirical-theoretical methods (abstraction, analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, analogy, modeling) as well as theoretical methods (ascending from abstract to concrete, forecasting, systematic approach). The most specific method used in the study of human ecology is anthropoecological monitoring, a system of observations of changes in human life processes in connection with environmental factors' impact on them. It also involves monitoring and evaluating environmental conditions that negatively affect population health and contribute to the spread of diseases. The article systematizes the main threats to economic security in Ukraine and describes their main consequences. In further research, the author's efforts will be focused on the development of measures to neutralize the impact of these threats on the ecological security of Ukraine.

Iodine in soils, pasture vegetation cuttings, and local food products of certain regions of Russia affected by the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident

Natural iodine deficiency, which in some regions of Russia provokes thyroid diseases, increases the consequences of the entry of short-lived radioactive isotopes of this element into the food chain as a result of the Chernobyl accident (1986). The aim of the work is to assess the risk of morbidity of the population of the Kaluga, Bryansk and Oryol regions with thyroid cancer at the level of individual settlements based on experimental data. The iodine content in soils and vegetation cuttings of pastures in geochemically contrasting landscapes, as well as in cows' milk and potatoes of private household farms in the regions affected by the Chernobyl accident in 1986: Bryansk (2021), Oryol (2022) and Kaluga (2023) regions was studied. Joint expeditions of the Laboratory of Environmental Biogeochemistry of GEOKHI RAS and the Department of Human Ecology and Bioelementology of the Institute of Ecology of RUDN, carried out on the initiative and with the participation of the authors, revealed a significant variation of iodine concentration in soils and food products, which may be crucial for assessing the risk of thyroid diseases, including thyroid cancer, among the local rural population. The iodine content was found to be highly variable in both topsoil (0.31-3.04 mg/kg) and grass cuttings (0.14-0.29 mg/kg) of the study area. The maximum natural and technogenic risk of thyroid cancer morbidity in the rural population as a result of the consequences of the Chernobyl accident of 1986 is specific for the studied settlements of Zhizdrinsky district of Kaluga region, Bolkhovsky, Dmitrovsky and Sverdlovsky districts of Oryol region, Rognedinsky district of Bryansk region.

The people of Chernobyl: a community of loss in Svetlana Aleksievich’s Chernobyl Prayer

Svetlana Aleksievich conducted hundreds of interviews with those affected by the explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine and her native Belarus and assembled them in her 1997 novel Chernobyl Prayer. A Chronicle of the Future. Aleksievich, awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2015, created a complex, polyphonic blend of oral history and literature and provided a fragmentated and diverse narrative of memory, trauma, and victimhood. The article examines Aleksievich’s rendition of the ways in which “the people of Chernobyl” convey their own understanding of this identity. The many voices of Aleksievich’s novel coalesce to speak for what Serguei Oushakine calls a community of loss. The article traces the articulation of their identity: from the frustrated search for appropriate discursive tools and points of reference, to the explicit sense of having formed a unique social entity, a community. This transition is also a progression, through the process of articulation and analysis, from a negative identity, defined by loss and a radical change in status, to one enhanced by philosophical and environmental awareness. This is also a shift from the mainstream Soviet worldview and identity to other more complex, albeit less comforting perspectives.

Comparative analysis of the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, glycated hemoglobin and indicators of lipid metabolism in women of Lviv and Kyiv regions

Background. The prevalence of thyroid diseases, including endemic goiter and autoimmune disorders, has been consi­dered by scientists for more than a century as a cause for reducing the working capacity of the population and also affects the cognitive ability of future generations. Geographically, Lviv region is in an endemic iodine deficiency zone, while Kyiv region suffered negative radiation exposure as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Since both factors affect the state of the thyroid system, the study on the levels of thyroid hormones among women in the specified areas makes it possible to identify the risks of thyroid pathologies and to develop a strategy for their prevention. The purpose of the study: to find out and analyze the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), glycated hemoglobin and indicators of lipid metabolism in women of Lviv and Kyiv regions. Materials and methods. One hundred and fifty women were examined, their average age was 48 ± 7 years. The criterion for inclusion in the study were: absence of diabetes or treatment for thyroid pathologies, as well as other serious diseases. The survey was conducted once, in July-August 2022. The level of pituitary TSH, antibodies to thyroid peroxidase (TPO-Ab), glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein was evaluated. Results. In examined women of the Kyiv region, the average TSH was 2.21 ± 0.30 mIU/l, while in those from the Lviv region it was within 2.42 ± 0.17 mIU/l (p > 0.05). A significant difference was found between the average values of TPO-Ab, some women had high levels of antibodies without manifestations of hypothyroidism and clinical complaints. The average value of TPO-Ab in patients from the Kyiv region was 81.21 ± 19.41 IU/ml and in women from the Lviv region it was 38.41 ± 5.97 IU/ml (р < 0,05). When analyzing carbohydrate metabolism, no significant changes were found between the levels of glycated hemoglobin in the examined women of Kyiv and Lviv regions, 5.81 ± 0.09 % and 5.66 ± 0.04 %, respectively (р > 0.05). Some women showed a slight increase in glycated hemoglobin over 5.6 %, which did not reach the level of 6.5 %. This group of examinees were at risk of developing type 2 diabetes and is characterized by the term “prediabetes”. Regarding lipid metabolism, we found no significant changes in the level of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. Conclusions. The conducted observation revealed differences in TSH, TPO-Ab indicators in healthy women living in Lviv and Kyiv regions. We can assume that the obtained results of Lviv region reflect the problems of the endemic zone of the Western regions of Ukraine. In turn, significantly higher levels of TPO-Ab among residents of Kyiv region are most likely a consequence of the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which can still affect the health of the population of this region.

Dose-response analysis of protracted absorbed organ dose and site-specific cancer incidence in Sweden after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident.

Adult males in Sweden exhibit an increased risk of cancer associated with an increased absorbed dose to the colon from the Chernobyl accident. A closed cohort, with information on hunter status, included all individuals living in northern Sweden in 1986. Complete annual information on exposure to 137Cs at the dwelling coordinate was available for a total of 2,104,101 individuals. A nested case-control method with four controls matched for year of cancer diagnosis and year of birth, was used. Individual absorbed organ doses were calculated between 1986 and 2020 including external and internal exposure. Hazard ratios (HR) per mGy with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using conditional logistic regression adjusted for rural/nonrural habitat, education level and pre-Chernobyl cancer incidence 1980 to 1985. A total of 161,325 cancer cases in males and 144,439 in females were included. The adjusted HR per mGy for all cancer sites combined was 1.027 (95% CI = 1.022, 1.031) in males and 1.011 (95% CI = 1.006, 1.017) in females. In a post hoc analysis accounting for both remaining confounding from hunter lifestyle and the pre-Chernobyl cancer incidence by county, the adjusted HR per mGy for all cancer sites combined was 1.014 (95% CI = 1.009, 1.019) in males and 1.000 (95% CI = 0.994, 1.006) in females. The post hoc analysis suggested an increased risk of cancer in the colon, pancreas, and stomach, respectively, in males, and lymphoma in females. Increased cancer risk estimates were found for some specific cancer sites but remaining uncontrolled confounding due to hunter lifestyle could not be ruled out.