Global impact of the Chernobyl accident

The pattern of radioactive release from the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident that began in April 1986 has been analyzed to provide estimates of possible future health effects in exposed populations. Appropriate environmental transport models were used to integrate data from affected countries in order to estimate present and future distributions of radiation doses to pertinent population groups. Based on the most recent risk projection methodology, estimates of possible increases in cancer mortality, in teratogenic effects and in genetic effects have been derived from these dose projections for population groups in the USSR, the United States of America and other regions in the northern hemisphere. The significanct findings are described. The estimates of potential health impacts in the northern hemisphere as a result of the radioactive release from the Chernobyl accident are also given in a table