Model Forestdose and Evaluation of Exposure Doses of Population from Forest Food Products

Abstract

The radiation situation in the contaminated regions of Belarus is becoming stabilized. For 10 years different countermeasures were undertaken while producing agricultural products. In spite of that, forest and forest food products affect the population contributing to higher radiation doses. Belarus is the most forested country in Europe, so its population traditionally uses many forest food products in the diet. In the first period after the accident the forests role was protective limiting the contamination of agricultural lands and further radionuclide redistribution. At present, the radionuclides are included in the long-standing life cycle of forest ecosystems, where they now provide a significant radiation dose to the population.