Chromosome aberrations in blood lymphocytes were examined in different groups of liquidators. They include 6 exposed groups:

       (1) Workers of Chernobyl nuclear power station who were working during and after the accident and participated in 1986-1987 in the decontamination of the premises and territory of the station.

     (2) Physicians from medico-sanitary unit in Prypiat attending to the workers of the NPS before the accident, and participating in the evacuation of the population from Prypiat and then in the medical examination of the ‘liquidators’ in the 30-km zone.

      (3) A group of dosimetrists who took part in 1986 in the dosimetric control on the NPS territory uring the decontamination of the station and the construction of the ‘Sarcophagus’.

      (4) Truck drivers who transported concrete and various other construction materials to the ‘Sarcophagus’ around the 4th unit of NPS.

       (5) The builders of the ‘Srcophagus’ who constructed this cover for the 4th unit of NPS in 1986.

      (6) Part of population of Prypiat, evacuated from this town after the accident and examined during the month after the evacuation with the aim to estimate the cytogenetic consequences of the accident for the Prypiat population; later they remained within the 30-km zone and participated in the liquidation of the consequences of the accident (members of the municipal administration, militia, consumer services workers, etc.).

     Blood sampling was made in 1986-1987 several days after evacuation from the radioactive zone for groups 1, 3, 4 and 5, or 1-3 months after the radiation for groups 2 and 6. In total, blood samples were taken from 433 subjects in 1986, and from 255 subjects in 1987, but not all data are discussed in this article. Chromosomes were studied in 50-200 cells for each individual, due in part to the restricted situation of the cytogenetic analysis in the hurriedly organized investigation system in 1986.  

Reference 

     Schevchenko, V. A., Akayeva, E. A., Yeliseyeva, I. M., Yelisova, T. V., Yofa, E. L., Nilova, I. N., Syomov, A. B. and Burkart, W. (1996): Human cytogenetic consequences of the Chernobyl accident. Mutation Res., 361:29-34. 

Chromosome aberration analysis 

Distribution of persons with indicated number of aberrations per 100 cells (Reproduced from Schevchenko et al. 1996):
(A) Prypiat population sampled in 1986.   (B) Construction workers of the ‘Sarcophagus’ sampled in 1986.   (C) Chernobyl NPS workers sampled in 1986.   (D) Chernobyl NPS workers sampled in 1987.