Radiological and chemical hazards of public exposure to uranium-235 at al-twaitha nuclear research site

Abstract EN

-Multi-step risk assessment process is used in this study to characterize the possible health hazards caused by exposure of the local inhabitants living in the vicinity of Al-Twaitha nuclear research site to uranium-235 through environmental pathways (inhalation of air and ingestion of contaminated foodstuffs) using a hypothetical linear no-threshold (LNT) statistical model.

Terrestrial food chain mathematical models are used in this study to predict the uranium-235 transfer from soil to agricultural crops (vegetables) and to animal products (meat, milk, milk products and egg) consumed by humans.

The possibility of developing fatal cancer to Diyala bridge and Eshtar population as a consequence of uranium-235 exposure is evaluated at 0.

14 latent cancer fatalities per million exposed individuals.

The risk of developing breast cancer is found to be occurs at a largest extent (0.0135 %) in comparison with cancers to other body organs and tissues.

Other consequences of radiation injury (genetic damage transmitted to succeeding generations) are expected to occur at a rate of 1850 per million exposed individuals in the offspring of Jesr-Diyala population as a result of changes transmitted via the genetic mechanisms due to irradiation of gonads, or there is 1 extra abnormally case in a group of 540 parents who were irradiated before conception occurred.