THE FEASIBILITY OF USING I-129 TO RECONSTRUCT I-131 DEPOSITION FROM THE CHERNOBYL REACTOR ACCIDENT

Radioiodine released to the atmosphere from the accident at the Cherno byl nuclear power station in the spring of 1986 resulted in large-scal e thyroid-gland exposure of populations in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russi a, Because of the short half life of I-131 (8.04 d), adequate data on the intensities and patterns of iodine deposition were not collected, especially in the regions where the incidence of childhood-thyroid can cer is now increasing, Results are presented from a feasibility study that show that accelerator-mass-spectrometry measurements of I-129 (ha lf life 16x10(6) y) in soil can be used to reconstruct I-131-depositio n density and thus help in the thyroid-dosimetry effort that is now ur gently needed to support epidemiologic studies of childhood-thyroid ca ncer in the affected regions.