Genetic and somatic effects from internal exposure to man-made radionuclides

1. Genetic and somatic effects from internal exposure to man-made radionuclides Dr Chris Busby PhD University of Liverpool christo@liv.ac.uk

2. Summary of argument • Childhood cancer caused by human internal exposure to novel man-made radioactive isotopes e.g. Sr-90, Pu-239 • Error in ICRP risk model due to averaging of doses over large tissue masses • Nuclear site (e.g.Sellafield, La Hague, Dounreay) leukemia clusters require error in ICRP model of 300-1000 fold. • Increases in infant leukemia after Chernobyl demonstrate error of 100-400 in ICRP risk models. • Consequenses for children and adults living near Irish Sea, or other radioactive contamination.

3. ICRP phantom

4. Depleted uranium particle doses

6. Infant mortality in Wales

7. The “Nordic” leukaemia study

11. Danish leukaemia age 0 – 4 from Clemmensen data

12. Childhood leukaemia with distance from La Hague

13. Errors in ICRP model

15. Whole body Caesium trends

21. Childhood cancer in Wales by distance from Irish Sea (km)

22. Childhood leukaemia

26. HTV: Y Byd ar Bedwar, Feb 10, 2004 Cansyrs Plant (childhood cancer) Tweli Griffiths, Linda Parry, Chris Busby • The discoveries by HTV define the existence of a childhood leukemia and brain tumour cluster in the Menai Strait coastal area of north Wales, more serious and more statistically significant than the Seascale (Sellafield) cluster discovered by Yorkshire TV in 1983. • From 2000-2003, 21-fold excess child leukaemia in Caernarfon ages 0-4; (3 cases, 0.1 expected, p = 0.0000) and 6 leukaemia cases in the 34 wards adjacent the contaminated Menai Strait, RR = 7.8 (p = 0.0005) • From 1996-2003, 18-fold excess brain and spinal tumour rate in ages 0-14 in Caernarfon (5 cases; p = 0.0000) and 9 cases in the 34 Menai wards (RR=5.4, p = 0.0004)

27. Table 2 Cancer cases from interviews in North West Wales (from snowball interviews by HTV reporter) Table 2 Cancer cases from interviews in North West Wales (from snowball interviews by HTV reporter) Table 2 Cancer cases from interviews in North West Wales (from snowball interviews by HTV reporter) Note: ALL = Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, AML = Acute myeloid leukaemia; NHL = non Hodgkin lymphoma Note: ALL = Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, AML = Acute myeloid leukaemia; NHL = non Hodgkin lymphoma Note: ALL = Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, AML = Acute myeloid leukaemia; NHL = non Hodgkin lymphoma

28. Conclusions • The ICRP model for internal exposure to anthropogenic radiation is unsafe. • Radioactive pollution from atmospheric weapons tests 1959-63 caused, genetic damage and infant mortality and is the cause of the present cancer epidemic. • Living near contaminated intertidal marine sediment carries significant cancer risk. • The increases in childhood cancer and leukaemia are largely caused by internal exposure to man-made radioactive substances.

29. Leukaemia & radium production

30. Low-dose internal radiation exposure and health • Scientific Secretary: European Committee on Radiation Risk: www.euradcom.org • Scientific Advisor: Low Level Radiation Campaign: www.llrc.org • Green Audit: www.greenaudit.org • UK Department of Health: Committee Examining Radiation Risk from Internal Emitters: www.cerrie.org • UK Ministry of Defence: Depleted Uranium Oversight Board: www.duob.org

31. Biphasic dose response

32. Childhood cancers 0 – 4 yrs

33. Hiroshima dose response I

34. Hiroshima dose response II

35. Fallout doses and subsequent cancer

36. Nuclear industry family study

37. Childhood leukaemia in Nordic Study and in Denmark (Olsen)

38. Plutonium in autopsy specimens

41. Plutonium across the UK

42. Predicted leukaemia in infants after Chernobyl

44. Infant leukaemia after Chernobyl

45. Leukaemia risk in Chernobyl infants

46. Chernobyl and low birthweight

47. Plutonium in teeth

48. Fallout and childhood leukaemia in England and Wales

49. Brain tumours in children

50. Leukaemia in Wales 1974 – 89 by distance from Irish Sea