Effect studies session: Nordic collaboration within biological dosimetry

摘要

Biological dosimetry is presently performed in the Nordic countries in two laboratories: at STUK-Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority and in the last few years also at FOI, The Swedish Defence Research Agency. Both Norway and Denmark have an informal agreement with STUK to perform biological dosimetry on their behalf. However, in the event of mass casualties, the capacity of a single laboratory could be overwhelmed and the collaboration between countries is vital. From 2005, FOI, STUK and NRPA have been working together to optimize a method for biological assessment of radiation dose for specific application in emergency preparedness. A two-year NKS-funded BioDos project has aimed at improved methods for biodosimetry that have specific application in emergency preparedness. An assay in which chromosomes are prematurely condensed (PCC) was investigated. Chemically induced PCC provides a potentially faster means of analysis as well as the ability to assess higher doses than with the dicentric assay which is routinely applied in biodosimetry. The experiments indicated that a protocol utilizing okadaic acid is adequate for induction of PCC cells in stimulated lymphocytes for the subsequent evaluation of ring chromosomes. The establishment of dose response curve and a preliminary comparison of the assay method to the traditional dicentric assay in triage mode have been performed. The triage method is based on limited analyses enabling a categorization to high, medium and low dose classes in an emergency situation involving large numbers of people. The collaboration between STUK, FOI and NRPA continues in 2008 with the new NKS project BioPex that has the aim to test and evaluate the applicability of the PCC assay in a simulated triage exercise involving a large number of exposed casualties.