Hw. Chung et al., Analysis of chromosome aberrations in nuclear-power-plant workers considering the lifetime of lymphocytes, INT J RAD B, 76(7), 2000, pp. 923-927
Purpose: To analyse chromosome aberrations in nuclear-power-plant workers t
aking account of the mean lifetime of lymphocytes (MLTL).
Materials and methods: Analysis of chromosome aberrations was performed on
peripheral lymphocytes from 395 nuclear-power-plant workers and 135 control
s. An equivalent acute dose (EAD) was calculated utilizing MLTL values of e
ither 4.3 or 10 years.
Results: Using an MLTL value of 10 years produced an EAD range of 0.01 mSv
-182 mSv(mean 46.6 mSv), while using an MLTL of 4.3 years produced results
ranging from 0.01 mSv to 86.2 mSv (mean 23.4 mSv). A significant increase o
f chromosome-type exchange by the equivalent acute dose was observed using
an MLTL of either 10 or 4.3 years when including the control in the analysi
s, but a significant increase was not seen when only the exposed was consid
ered. A significant increase of chromosome-type deletion by EAD was seen ev
en when only the exposed group was considered.
Conclusions: EAD values based on an MLTL of either 4.3 or 10 years, as well
as cumulative dose, showed no significant association with chromosome aber
rations, when radiation workers only were analysed. The narrow dose range e
xamined in this study might have contributed to this finding.