SR-90 CONCENTRATIONS IN HUMAN TEETH IN SOUTH UKRAINE, 5 YEARS AFTER THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT

Approximately 1000 human teeth, collected in South Ukraine, in 1990-19 91, were measured for Sr-90 concentration. The teeth were grouped into 18 samples according to the age and sex of the donors. Measured level s of Sr-90 concentrations were lower by a factor of 10 than measuremen ts taken in the mid-1960s and mid-1970s. An interesting feature of the data is a 3-fold enhancement of contamination levels in the 25-45 yea r-old age group of the male population. A possible explanation for thi s anomaly is that this age group contains a significant number of men who were mobilized immediately after the Chernobyl accident for clean- up operations within the 30-km zone around the damaged nuclear power p lant.