[The characteristics of 90Sr accumulation and elimination in residents of the Urals region in the period of 1957-1988].

: A number of radiation accidents occurred at the "Mayak" plutonium production complex (Southern Urals, Russia) in 1950-60s that resulted in environmental contamination of large territories in the Southern and Middle Urals with long-lived radionuclides (90Sr, 137Cs). The results of long-term radiological monitoring were compiled into special databases at the Urals Research Center for Radiation Medicine, which allow the study of 90Sr behaviour in the environment and its accumulation in the human body. Retrospective analysis of the data on postmortem measurements of 90Sr in bones performed on residents of the Urals region over 1957-1988 were conducted for the first time. A time-dependence of 90Sr accumulation in the human body upon its density in soils was observed. Age and gender characteristics of 90Sr retention in bones were studied. It was shown that the levels of 90Sr in residents of large territories north and north-east of Chelyabinsk region, and of bordering territories of Sverdlovsk region were several times higher than the average values for the Russian Federation. Based on the measurements the direct dependence of 90Sr content in the skeleton on 90Sr density in soils was observed 30 years after the 1957 accident (the so called "Kyshtym accident"). However, for individual settlements this dependence may be weakened as a result of the influence of different biological and social factors. No influence of gender on 90Sr accumulation in the skeleton was found in the study. The analysis of age characteristics of 90Sr accumulation in bone, as influenced by skeleton growth and maturation, showed maximal levels of 90Sr from global fallout to be accumulated in bones of the persons born in 1949-1955.