Estimates of health detriments and tissue weighting factors for Hong Kong populations from low dose, low dose rate and low let ionising radiation exposure

The total health detriments and the tissue weighting factors for the Hong Kong populations from low dose, low dose rate and low LET ionising radiation exposure are obtained according to the methodology recommended in ICRP Publication 60. The probabilities of fatal cancers for the general (ages 0-90) and working (ages 20-64) populations due to lifetime exposure at low dose and low dose rate are 4.9 x 10(-2) Sv(-1) and 3.6 x 10(-2) Sv(-1) respectively, comparing with the ICRP 60 estimates of 5.0 x 10(-2) Sv(-1) and 4.0 x 10(-2) Sv(-1). The corresponding total health detriments for the general and working populations are 6.9 x 10(-2) Sv(-1) and 4.9 x 10(-2) Sv(-1) respectively comparing with the ICRP 60 estimates of 7.3 x 10(-2) Sv(-1) and 5.6 x 10(-2) Sv(-1). Tissue weighting factors for the general population are 0.01 (bone surface and shin), 0.02 (liver, oesophagus and thyroid), 0.04 (bladder and breast), 0.08 (remainder), 0.10 (stomach), 0.11 (bone marrow), 0.15 (colon), 0.19 (lung) and 0.21 (gonads) and for the working population are 0.01 (bone surface and shin), 0.03 (liver, oesophagus and thyroid), 0.04 (breast), 0.06 (remainder), 0.07 (bladder), 0.08 (colon), 0.14 (bone marrow and stomach), 0.16 (lung) and 0.20 (gonads).