Workshop on dosimetry of the population living in the proximity of the Semipalatinsk atomic weapons test site

From 1949 nuclear weapons tests were conducted at the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan. Until the early 1960s many of these tests were conducted either on the ground or above ground. The radioactive fission products released in these explosions were deposited at substantial distances from the test site (Polygon) and may have exposed populations living in Semipalatinsk Region and the Altai region of the Russian Federation. A much larger number of tests has been conducted underground with only limited release of radioactive material to the atmosphere. A number of estimates have been made, by Kazak and Russian scientists, of the radiation doses to the populations living in the areas surrounding the test site but few of these are based on actual measurements of radioactivity on the ground and in vegetation. More recently, other international groups have predicted historical doses based on literature data and/or contemporary soil caesium measurements while others have used a variety of modern measurement techniques such as thermoluminescence in ceramic objects, EPR in teeth, and other types of biological dosimetry. A workshop addressing these issues was organised by the National Cancer Institute (NCI, USA), World Health Organisation (WHO) and Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK, Finland) in May 2001. The purpose of the workshop was to review all the available dosimetric data in order to make an assessment of the radiological impact and the associated uncertainties, on populations in the vicinity and identify populations that might be useful subjects of epidemiological study. Particular emphasis was given to assessing doses to members of the public, i.e., off-site populations. (orig.)