Late Effects of Chronic Irradiation in Plants After the Accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station

• Published in: Radiation protection dosimetry 1995-01, Vol.62 (1-2), p.41-43
• Main Author: Grodzinsky, D.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0144-8420; 1742-3406
• DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.rpd.a082817

The Nuclear Power Plant accident at Chernobyl led to a wide area being contaminated with a number of different radionuclides. Two basic types of radioactive particle were released from the damaged reactor: large particles of dispersed fuel, and various types of microparticles on which highly volatile components were condensed. As a result, 90Sr, Pu 134Cs, 137Cs, 106Ru and some other radionuclides were dispersed throughout the European countries. There still remains considerable work to be done in the field of late effects of low dose irradiation in plants. However, it is clear that the analysis of mechanisms leading to the expression of late effects in plants faces problems, the magnitude of which varies a great deal according to the tissue or systems of organs under investigation. The mechanisms themselves seem to differ in complexity, ranging from damage to the chromatic structure, the distortion of functioning of the complicated regulating systems of organisms.