Long-term ingestion dose monitoring in a population group with increased 137Cs intake

137Cs amounts and ingestion doses in Czech population have been monitored by whole-body counting since the Chernobyl accident. Indirect estimation of the retention through measurement of 137Cs excreted with urine in 24 hours has also been performed since 1987. The 137Cs content in human body can be calculated from the urine data provided that the intake of 137Cs during the period of interest is constant. In a semi-natural environment, the 137Cs content in mushrooms, wild berries and game decreases due to its natural decay solely. The 137Cs content in people who mostly consume venison and have been living in an area with elevated contamination has been monitored, mostly through measurement of 137Cs in urine. In parallel, measurements with a mobile whole-body counter have also been performed. Currently, annual doses from the ingestion of 137Cs in the inhabitants are very low (0.001 to 0.002 mSv.year-1). In a group of hunters in the Jeseniky Mountains (Northern Moravia) the doses were estimated to 0.10 mSv.year-1. (orig.)