Effects of low level radiation on man and safety assessment

Abstract

Currently available information on the effects of low level radiation on man was reviewed with particular reference to the safety assessment of nuclear industry. Subjects reviewed by the Committee covered a wide area from basic radiobiology to risk perception. They are for example, (1) Problems and objectives of safety assessment of low level radiation, (2) Radiobiological bases of low level effects, (3) Genetic and somatic risk assessment, (4) Epidemiological study and criteria for assessing its results, (5) Risk assessment models, (6) Health effects models, (7) Computer codes for risk assessment, (8) Application of hybrid function in describing dose-response relationship, (9) Radon and its health effects, (10) Lung models and radon exposure, (11) Hormesis, (12) Risk perception, and (13) Institutions and organizations for research on low level radiation effects. Summary description of the results of review on 21 selected topics are given in this report. As an additional activity of the Committee, a concise guidebook on terminology used in radiation health risk research and related subject areas was prepared in order to serve as an easy source of reference by the members of this society.