DISTRIBUTION OF RADIOACTIVE CESIUM IN THE POPULATION OF NORTHERN SWEDEN 1988-1993

During the period from May 1988 until June 1993 the Cs-137 concentrati on was measured in 751 samples of psoas muscle from selected medico-le gal autopsy cases in the northern half of Sweden. In this area the dep osition level of Cs-137 from the Chernobyl accident varied from neglig ible to 100 kBq.m(-2). Northern Sweden is characterised by large borea l forest areas and a sparse population. The rural population often has a high level of subsistence through meat from reindeer, moose and oth er game, fresh water fish, forest wild berries, and mushrooms. From a multiple linear regression performed on the Cs-137 concentration in th e 751 measured samples of human muscle, the effective half-time of cae sium whole-body content in the population could be assessed as 3.7 yea rs. A slight increase in Cs-137 concentration was observed with the ag e of the individual and a significant difference between the sexes, th e level for men exceeded that for women by 23%. The dose commitment tb this population of approximately 900,000 inhabitants from internal ra diation due to the Chernobyl debris could, by this model, be estimated at 220 man.Sv which, with the current ICRP lifetime risk estimates, w ould cause an addition of ten fatal cancer cases.