Effect of nitrates in drinking water on the prevalence of thyroid cancer and other thyroid diseases: a literature review and post-Chernobyl research experience in Belarus

Nitrate content in the groundwater of Belarus has increased dramatically due to intensive use of nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture. Research performed during the post-Chernobyl period showed that the increased incidence of thyroid cancer is affected both by the level of nitrates in the groundwater and the radiation dose to which the thyroid was exposed.