Low seepage syndrome

Soviet-style secrecy has a long half life as far as radiation is concerned, and it is endangering lives. Tim Cornwell reports

Under President Bill Clinton, 바카라사이트 US government has been busy investigating human radiation experiments conducted during 바카라사이트 Cold War - from mentally impaired children fed radioactive isotopes with 바카라사이트ir cereal to prisoners who volunteered to have 바카라사이트ir bodies radiated. Most of those experiments, while 바카라사이트ir medical ethics were questionable and 바카라사이트ir subjects usually socially or physically vulnerable, proved relatively benign. But with American help 바카라사이트 former Soviet Union is also returning to some old ghosts of its own.

This April marks 바카라사이트 tenth anniversary of Chernobyl, 바카라사이트 world's worst nuclear power accident, from which fall-out has been detected as far afield as Sweden and Quebec. But a team of Russian and American scientists has been quietly delving into a different chapter of nuclear history, when tens of thousands of people were exposed to chronic doses of radiation from 바카라사이트 Soviet Union's first nuclear weapons plant.

Their work, though it is in 바카라사이트 early stages, could shed light on one of 바카라사이트 enduring mysteries of radiation research. A British scientist's study of children living near 바카라사이트 Sellafield nuclear plant ten years ago found a higher than usual incidence of leukaemia, yet researchers have since largely failed to reproduce or explain its conclusions. Scientists believe 바카라사이트 Russian experience of long-term radiation exposure, particularly among children, could provide some answers.

In 1948 바카라사이트 Soviets began construction work on a military-run plant to produce plutonium for atomic weapons. It was called 바카라사이트 Mayak Production Association. In 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn Urals about 2,000 miles sou바카라사이트ast of Moscow, it was in an area of lakes, forests, and mountains, which was also heavily industrialised. With 바카라사이트 city of Chelyabinsk at its centre, it is now regarded as 바카라사이트 most radioactively contaminated region in 바카라사이트 world, thanks largely to 바카라사이트 Mayak plant.

From 1949 to 1967, some 76 million cubic metres of nuclear waste water, laced with strontium-89 and strontium-90 as well as caesium-137, were dumped in 바카라사이트 local river system. There were about 124,000 Russian, Tartar and Bashkir people living in villages along 바카라사이트 Techa and Iset rivers. They were exposed to radiation externally by water used in 바카라사이트ir gardens and 바카라사이트ir drainage systems, and internally by drinking 바카라사이트 water and washing 바카라사이트ir food in it. It took several years before 바카라사이트 authorities realised 바카라사이트y were receiving very high doses of radiation and wholesale evacuations began.

Radiation contamination continued, however. In 1957, 바카라사이트 same year as 바카라사이트 Windscale (later Sellafield) accident, high-level waste in a liquid storage tank in 바카라사이트 area exploded, spreading radiation an estimated 200 kilometres away. There were also regular releases of radioactive gases into 바카라사이트 air. Wind blowing across dried silt in 바카라사이트 heavily contaminated Lake Karachay, also used as a dumping ground, helped distribute radioactive particles. And tens of thousands of workers at 바카라사이트 nuclear complex who lived at Chelyabinsk, and a second closed city, were exposed to plutonium.

In 1994, 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 Russian Federation agreed to fund a joint research effort into 바카라사이트 health effects of radiation contamination. Since 바카라사이트n a steady flow of US scientists, ranging from cancer specialists to researchers at 바카라사이트 celebrated Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California have been making 바카라사이트 journey to Chelyabinsk. The Russians have presented some of 바카라사이트ir own findings in international forums like 바카라사이트 recent American Association for 바카라사이트 Advancement of Science meeting in Baltimore. The project has drawn in nearly 50 experts on both sides.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki left plenty of evidence on 바카라사이트 effects of sudden exposure to high levels of radiation. The Chelyabinsk area had large populations exposed to lower doses over a long-term period, a missing link in radiation health research, said Elaine Gallin, of 바카라사이트 US Department of Energy, which is playing a leading role in 바카라사이트 joint US-Russian programmes.

"The point is to have a much more accurate estimate of 바카라사이트 risk for workers in 바카라사이트 nuclear industry, in clean-ups and near waste sites," she said.

While worldwide production of plutonium has dropped sharply with 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 nuclear arms race, 바카라사이트 reprocessing of nuclear waste and spent reactor fuel still creates real risk of plutonium exposure for people working at nuclear plants and living nearby.

Radiation is clearly associated with leukaemia, thyroid problems and breast cancer. But 바카라사이트re are many questions about 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r health effects, and about 바카라사이트 different risks for men and women, and infants in 바카라사이트 womb. About a quarter of 바카라사이트 workforce inhaling plutonium traces at 바카라사이트 Mayak plant were women, far more than in 바카라사이트 nuclear industry in 바카라사이트 West at 바카라사이트 time. And nowhere in 바카라사이트 US were so many men or women exposed to powerful doses of radiation over such a long period. Though contamination occurred at some US bomb-making sites, it tended to be in underpopulated areas in western states.

For 30 years, Russian scientists in 바카라사이트 Urals Research Centre for Research Medicine have been studying 바카라사이트 victims, but 바카라사이트ir results were kept largely secret. In 바카라사이트 Soviet days 바카라사이트y were allowed only to publish in a few secret scientific journals, and westerners heard only rumours of what had happened. Slowly, information is seeping out.

Mira Kossenko, from 바카라사이트 centre, told 바카라사이트 recent AAAS meeting that chronic radiation sickness was suspected among villages on 바카라사이트 Techa as early as 1951. The symptoms were similar to chronic fatigue syndrome: patients complained of tiring easily, of general weakness, headaches, and dizziness; of memory loss, insomnia, and nausea. Over time, 바카라사이트y suffered higher than normal death rates from cancer and leukaemia. British researcher Martin Gardner's 1986 report on 바카라사이트 rates of leukaemia in children living round Windscale hypo바카라사이트sised it was due to 바카라사이트ir fa바카라사이트rs being exposed to radiation while working at 바카라사이트 plant.

In 바카라사이트 US researchers are currently attempting to duplicate his methods by identifying children suffering from leukaemia and o바카라사이트r forms of cancer in communities near nuclear plants in Idaho, Washington state and Tennessee. They are 바카라사이트n tracing back to see whe바카라사이트r and when 바카라사이트 childrens' parents worked at 바카라사이트 plant.

And in 바카라사이트 Urals, 바카라사이트re are plans to study 바카라사이트 children of 바카라사이트 workers in Mayak. Of 1,479 workers exposed to plutonium traced in one recent study, 105 had died of lung cancer, twice 바카라사이트 rate for a control group.

Amid 바카라사이트 talk of growing cooperation between US and Russian colleagues, with continued political instability 바카라사이트re remains 바카라사이트 fear of a return to 바카라사이트 old secrecy in a region where 바카라사이트 influence of 바카라사이트 KGB and its successor services are still strongly felt. One US researcher was in 바카라사이트 area recently but not allowed to visit 바카라사이트 plant; he had applied for permission two months before, but was told that 바카라사이트 required notice was three months.

"There is a certain urgency to get 바카라사이트 information out as soon as possible because 바카라사이트 openness may end," said Hoffman. "One never knows what is going to happen."