EXPOSURE OF THE PUBLIC FROM MAN-MADE AND NATURAL SOURCES OF RADIATION

Collective effective doses from man-made sources of radiation committed to the world population since 1945 are estimated and compared with the exposure due to radiation sources of natural origin. Natural radiation sources contribute about 64 x 10(8) man Sv to the total collective effective dose of about 8.4 x 10(8) man Sv. Inhalation of radon and its short-lived daughter products causes more than 50 % of this contribution. The collective effective dose from man-made sources (2 x 10(8) man Sv) is mainly caused by the use of ionizing radiation and radionuclides in medical diagnosis and treatment (80 %). Whereas atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons before 1980 comes up to 15 %, nuclear power generation, nuclear accidents and occupational exposure constitute only a minor part.