The acceptable concentration of radionuclides in atmospheric air for the general population, taking into account only internal irradiation via inhalation, is presented in the radiation safety standards NRC-76/87. For most radionuclides this path is not critical. For this reason different derivative standards, which adequately account for other possible irradiation paths and can be measured, must be developed. In so doing, the following two circumstances must be taken into consideration: the expected irradiation dose is not related uniquely to the volume activity of radionuclides in air because during transport of a cloud of emissions in the atmosphere the aerosol particle-size spectrum becomes deformed and the average rate of precipitation of the aerosol changes (large particles settle near the emission location and the finely dispersed aerosol can be transported over a large distance); the foods consumed and all types of agroclimatic conditions under which agricultural crops are grown and the regional phenological characteristics of the crops are extremely diverse. The authors consider some features of the irradiation dose to the population from gas-aerosol emissions of radioactive substances. The irradiation dose to local residents from radioactive gas-aerosol emissions can be represented as the sum of contributions from different sources. The main sources are:more » external irradiation by the gas-aerosol emission cloud (primarily radioactive inert gases); internal irradiation from inhaled radionuclides; external irradiation from the track of radionuclides precipitated from the emission cloud onto the soils, and internal irradiation due to the consumption of local food products contaminated by the fallout.« less