Chrnobyl fallout: Berchtesgaden (Germany),  [1] Stephan and Oestreicher 1993


Scenario 

     One specific area (i.g., Berchtesgaden) in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) experienced a particularly high contamination by fallout from the Chernobyl NPP accident in 1986. Berchtesgarden, where the natural radiation exposure was about 1.1 mSv/year, experienced additional external exposure of 0.56 mSv and mean additional internal exposure of 0.25 mSv in 1986 from fallout of Chernobyl accident. In the following years, these exposures decreased to about 0.2 mSv/year from both sources by 1989.

     A total of 29 persons living in Berchtegaden were studied for chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Blood sampling was carried out in April-December 1987 for the first groups, and in November 1990-February 1991 for the second group. In 5 individuals from highly contaminated area, the levels of 134Cs and 137Cs body burden was measured by whole-body counter.

     Control samples were taken from persons living low contamination area (Baden-Baden with additional external exposure being <0.03 mSv in 1986 decreasing to 0.01 mSv by 1989, and Tirschenreuth with additional external exposure similar to that in Baden-Baden). Blood sampling was carried out between May 1988 and April 1989 for Baden-Baden and in May-October 1989 for Tirschenreuth.

     As compared with controls, chromosome aberration frequencies were elevated but no clear dose-response relationship was found. 

Reference 

     Stephan, G. and Oestreicher, U. (1993): Chromosome investigation of individuals living in aras of Southern Germany contaminated by fallout from the Chernobyl reactor accident. Mutation Res., 319:189-196. 
 

Chromosome aberration analysis in peripheral blood lymphocytes 
 
Group* Sampling date No. of No. of Chromosome aberrations**
persons cells Dic cR Ace ctb
Exposed B (a) Mar 1987-Apr 1888 9 13,904 33 1 114 69
B (b) Mar 1987-Apr 1888 5 10,032 26 1 76 46
B (c) May 1988-Apr 1989 10 10,019 16 0 82 68
B (d) May 1989-Oct 1989 10 10,119 17 1 70 52
B (b) Nov 1990-Feb 1991 5 10,000 14 0 61 57
Controls C (I) May 1988-Apr 1989 20 20,173 51 1 194 132
C (II) May 1989-Oct 1989 11 11,010 21 0 95 65
*) Exposed: Berchtesgaden (B). 5 persons in B(b) are part of B(a) and sampled again in May 1989-Oct 1989.
Controls: Baden-Baden, C(I) and Tirschenreuth, C(II)
**) Dic: dicentrics. cT: centric rings. Ace: excess acentrics. Ctb: chromatid breaks.
 



Chernobyl fallout: Berchtesgaden (Germany),  [2] Braselmann et al. 1992 

Scenario  

     The area of Berchtesgaden borders the Alps in southeast Bavaria. It received the highest radiocesium deposition (>42 kBq/m2) in Germany from the fallout of Chernobyl NPP accident in 1986. From 1987 to 1989 a project within EC research program was conducted to characterize critical population groups with special consumption habits in Bavaria (including Berchtesgaden). So-called self-supporters have been evaluated as the most critical group. They obtained about 75% of dose-relevant foodstuffs (mainly raw milk and milk products, vegetables, meat) from the region. Non-self-supporters were taken as reference group. For the period from 1986 to 1987, the authors evaluated the additional internal radiation exposure due to ingestion of radiocesium in addition to the natural internal and total radiation exposure (0.25mSv/year and 1.5-4 mSv with mean of 2mSv, respectively).  The internal and total doses in self-supporters were higher by a factor 3.3 and a factor 1.3, respectively. For non-self-supporters, they were a factor of 1.6 and 1.1, respectively.

     Blood sampling for chromosome aberration analysis was carried out in 1989 (from March to September) for 30 persons living in Berchtesgaden, of which 8 persons has been also previously studied in 1987/1988 by Stephan and Oestreicher. In comparison, control samples were those taken from 66 healthy donors before the Chernobyl accident.

     The authors conclude that, in contrast to the earlier survey of Stephan and Oestreicher,  no significant elevation of chromosome aberration frequencies was detected in people living in Berchtesgaden (>42 kBq/m2 cesium deposition) in any of the study categories when compared with large-scale pre-Chernobyl controls.  
Reference 

     Braselmann, H., Schmid, E. and Bauchinger, M. (1992): Chromosome analysis in a population living in an area of Germany with highest fallout deposition from the Chernobyl accident. Mutation Res., 283:221-225. 
Chromosome aberration analysis in peripheral blood lymphocytes  
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Categories Populations* No. of No. of Chromosome aberrations
persons cells Dicentrics+centric rings Excess acentrics
Total Controls 67 35,500 18 117
Berchtesgaden 30 26,300 13 68
Male Controls 66 33,500 18 113
Berchtesgaden 16 15,100 8 45
Non-smoker Controls 35 19,500 13 61
Berchtesgaden 28 24,700 13 64
Non-smoker, male Controls 34 17,500 13 57
Berchtesgaden 14 13,500 8 41
Non-self-supporter Berchtesgaden 12 9,600 3 24
Self-supporter Berchtesgaden 8 6,400 3 14
Variable comsumption Berchtesgaden 10 10,300 7 30
Pre-selected** Berchtesgaden 8 6,400 2 14
Newly selected Berchtesgaden 22 19,900 11 54
*) Controls: aberration frequencies have been studied in blood samples taken before the time of Chernobyl accident.
**) Persons previously studied in 1987/1988 by Stephan and Oestreicher, Mutation Res., 319:189-196, 1993.
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