Estimation of nuclear dose and DNA damage following exposure with cesium bearing microparticles

Matsuya, Yusuke  ; Hamada, Nobuyuki*; Date, Hiroyuki*; Sato, Tatsuhiko   

After the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, insoluble particulate matters with high radio-activity (i.e., cesium bearing microparticles) were found. However, biological effects after the exposure with the microparticles remains unclear. Long-term attachment of the microparticles makes high dose rate around the microparticles. So, it is necessary to perform biological experiments by using cultured cells. For preliminary examining the biological experiments, by using PHITS for dose calculation and mathematical model for DNA damage kinetics (which was developed in Hokkaido University), we estimated the nuclear dose and DNA damage following the exposure with the cesium bearing microparticles so far. As a result, we obtained a finding that DNA damage induced by the microparticles is detectable. In the future, based on this estimation results, we are planning to investigate the biological effects after the exposure with cesium bearing microparticles.