Oleg Zabluda's blog
Friday, May 05, 2017
 
Effects of Cobalt-60 Exposure on Health of Taiwan Residents Suggest New Approach Needed in Radiation Protection
Effects of Cobalt-60 Exposure on Health of Taiwan Residents Suggest New Approach Needed in Radiation Protection
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The conventional approach for radiation protection is based on the ICRP's linear, no threshold (LNT) model of radiation carcinogenesis, which implies that ionizing radiation is always harmful, no matter how small the dose. But a different approach can be derived from the observed health effects of the serendipitous contamination of 1700 apartments in Taiwan with cobalt-60 (T1/2 = 5.3 y). This experience indicates that chronic exposure of the whole body to low-dose-rate radiation, even accumulated to a high annual dose, may be beneficial to human health. Approximately 10,000 people occupied these buildings and received an average radiation dose of 0.4 Sv, unknowingly, during a 9–20 year period. They did not suffer a higher incidence of cancer mortality, as the LNT theory would predict. On the contrary, the incidence of cancer deaths in this population was greatly reduced—to about 3 per cent of the incidence of spontaneous cancer death in the general Taiwan public. In addition, the incidence of congenital malformations was also reduced—to about 7 per cent of the incidence in the general public. These observations appear to be compatible with the radiation hormesis model.
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An extraordinary incident occurred 22 years ago in Taiwan. Recycled steel, accidentally contaminated with discarded cobalt-60 sources (T1/2 = 5.3 y), was formed into construction steel for more than 180 buildings containing about 1700 apartments, and also public and private schools and small businesses, in Taipei City and nearby counties. About ten thousand people occupied these buildings for 9 to 22 years.
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2477708/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2477708/

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