Radionuclide contamination at Kazakhstan's semipalatinsk test site: Implications on human and ecological health

Tina M. Carlsen; Leif E. Peterson; Brant A. Ulsh; Cynthia A. Werner; Kathleen L. Purvis; Anna C. Sharber

doi:10.1080/20018091094754

Radionuclide contamination at Kazakhstan's semipalatinsk test site: Implications on human and ecological health

Tina M. Carlsen, Leif E. Peterson, Brant A. Ulsh, Cynthia A. Werner, Kathleen L. Purvis, Anna C. Sharber

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

A delegation of five scientists participated in a U.S. National Research Council program to review the status of research on the health and environmental impacts of nuclear testing at the Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS) in the eastern region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. From 11 August through 25 August 2000, we visited several research institutes in Kazakhstan and consulted with numerous Kazakh researchers from academic disciplines ranging from radioecology to public health and medicine. We focused on reviewing data on the health and environmental impacts resulting from the testing. The health effects caused by the testing at STS have received a fair amount of study, and research using modern techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridization and nuclear magnetic resonance will likely increase the reliability of dose reconstruction. However, the extent to which the STS is contaminated has not been adequately characterized, and the potential exposure to nomadic peoples and ecological receptors at the uncontrolled test site is not known. Additional research in these areas, and development of administrative controls for the site, appears warranted.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	943-955
Number of pages	13
Journal	Human and Ecological Risk Assessment (HERA)
Volume	7
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/20018091094754
State	Published - 2001
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Ecological impacts
Health effects
Kazakhstan
Radionuclides
Semipalatinsk Test Site
Site characterization

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecological Modeling
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Pollution

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10.1080/20018091094754

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title = "Radionuclide contamination at Kazakhstan's semipalatinsk test site: Implications on human and ecological health",

abstract = "A delegation of five scientists participated in a U.S. National Research Council program to review the status of research on the health and environmental impacts of nuclear testing at the Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS) in the eastern region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. From 11 August through 25 August 2000, we visited several research institutes in Kazakhstan and consulted with numerous Kazakh researchers from academic disciplines ranging from radioecology to public health and medicine. We focused on reviewing data on the health and environmental impacts resulting from the testing. The health effects caused by the testing at STS have received a fair amount of study, and research using modern techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridization and nuclear magnetic resonance will likely increase the reliability of dose reconstruction. However, the extent to which the STS is contaminated has not been adequately characterized, and the potential exposure to nomadic peoples and ecological receptors at the uncontrolled test site is not known. Additional research in these areas, and development of administrative controls for the site, appears warranted.",

keywords = "Ecological impacts, Health effects, Kazakhstan, Radionuclides, Semipalatinsk Test Site, Site characterization",

author = "Carlsen, \{Tina M.\} and Peterson, \{Leif E.\} and Ulsh, \{Brant A.\} and Werner, \{Cynthia A.\} and Purvis, \{Kathleen L.\} and Sharber, \{Anna C.\}",

note = "Funding Information: Our delegation of five scientists was sent to Kazakhstan by the U.S. National Research Council as part of a program to review the status of research on the health and environmental impacts of nuclear testing at the STS. The program was supported by the U.S. State Department through the Research and Training Program for Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII) program. The purpose of Title VIII is to support the development of American expertise in the former Soviet Union and Central Europe with the understanding that these experts can then share their expertise with the government. The National Research Council (NRC), the operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences, administers the program. The NRC promotes international collaborations, particularly among younger specialists, as a way to increase knowledge in general. Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the support of the National Research Council, whose travel grant through the Young Investigator Program made the work reported on in this paper possible. The authors also thank Dr. Barry L. Johnson, HERA Editor-in-Chief, for his review and helpful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. The senior author thanks Ellen Raber, Deputy Department Leader of the Environmental Protection Department of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, for her encouragement and financial support for this project, as well as the Environmental Restoration Division, for general infrastructure support. This work was performed under the auspices of the U. S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract W-7405-Eng-48.",

year = "2001",

doi = "10.1080/20018091094754",

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T2 - Implications on human and ecological health

AU - Carlsen, Tina M.

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AU - Ulsh, Brant A.

AU - Werner, Cynthia A.

AU - Purvis, Kathleen L.

AU - Sharber, Anna C.

N1 - Funding Information: Our delegation of five scientists was sent to Kazakhstan by the U.S. National Research Council as part of a program to review the status of research on the health and environmental impacts of nuclear testing at the STS. The program was supported by the U.S. State Department through the Research and Training Program for Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (Title VIII) program. The purpose of Title VIII is to support the development of American expertise in the former Soviet Union and Central Europe with the understanding that these experts can then share their expertise with the government. The National Research Council (NRC), the operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences, administers the program. The NRC promotes international collaborations, particularly among younger specialists, as a way to increase knowledge in general. Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the support of the National Research Council, whose travel grant through the Young Investigator Program made the work reported on in this paper possible. The authors also thank Dr. Barry L. Johnson, HERA Editor-in-Chief, for his review and helpful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. The senior author thanks Ellen Raber, Deputy Department Leader of the Environmental Protection Department of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, for her encouragement and financial support for this project, as well as the Environmental Restoration Division, for general infrastructure support. This work was performed under the auspices of the U. S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract W-7405-Eng-48.

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - A delegation of five scientists participated in a U.S. National Research Council program to review the status of research on the health and environmental impacts of nuclear testing at the Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS) in the eastern region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. From 11 August through 25 August 2000, we visited several research institutes in Kazakhstan and consulted with numerous Kazakh researchers from academic disciplines ranging from radioecology to public health and medicine. We focused on reviewing data on the health and environmental impacts resulting from the testing. The health effects caused by the testing at STS have received a fair amount of study, and research using modern techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridization and nuclear magnetic resonance will likely increase the reliability of dose reconstruction. However, the extent to which the STS is contaminated has not been adequately characterized, and the potential exposure to nomadic peoples and ecological receptors at the uncontrolled test site is not known. Additional research in these areas, and development of administrative controls for the site, appears warranted.

AB - A delegation of five scientists participated in a U.S. National Research Council program to review the status of research on the health and environmental impacts of nuclear testing at the Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS) in the eastern region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. From 11 August through 25 August 2000, we visited several research institutes in Kazakhstan and consulted with numerous Kazakh researchers from academic disciplines ranging from radioecology to public health and medicine. We focused on reviewing data on the health and environmental impacts resulting from the testing. The health effects caused by the testing at STS have received a fair amount of study, and research using modern techniques such as fluorescence in situ hybridization and nuclear magnetic resonance will likely increase the reliability of dose reconstruction. However, the extent to which the STS is contaminated has not been adequately characterized, and the potential exposure to nomadic peoples and ecological receptors at the uncontrolled test site is not known. Additional research in these areas, and development of administrative controls for the site, appears warranted.

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KW - Semipalatinsk Test Site

KW - Site characterization

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Radionuclide contamination at Kazakhstan's semipalatinsk test site: Implications on human and ecological health

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Keywords

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