Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika

The peer-reviewed scientific and technology journal. ISSN: 0204-3327

Influence of Natural Iodine on the Formation of Thyroid Exposure Levels in Dairy Cows during the Early Phase of Radiation Accidents

12/10/2025 2025 - #04 Environmental aspects of nuclear power

Snegirev A.S. Basova M.A. Kozmin G.V. Mirzeabasov O.A.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2025.4.08

UDC: 614.876; 53.072; 539.1.047; 51-76

Radiation damage to farm animals during the acute period of nuclear reactor accidents is mainly determined by exposure to 131I and depends on the magnitude and duration of accumulation of the absorbed dose in the thyroid gland (TG). A feature of the pathogenesis of radiation sickness is the presence of a long latent period, and therefore, the basis for rapid assessment of the consequences for animal health is instrumental methods of radionuclide spectrometry in animal feed and predictive calculation methods for assessing TG exposure levels. We propose a model for calculating dosimetric parameters of irradiation of the thyroid gland of dairy cows based on a voxel dosimetric model of the thyroid gland and a compartment model of the kinetics of iodine metabolism, which suggests the possibility of forming different homeostatic states of the neuroendocrine hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid system depending on the content of stable iodine in the animal’s diet. According to our model, the kinetics of metabolism of radioactive iodine isotopes is determined by kinetic parameters characteristic for specified levels of stable iodine in the animal’s diet. An analytic formula linking absorbed dose and content of stable iodine in the diet was developed. The presented results are critical for rapid forecasting of the health status of farm animals and rapid response to nuclear incidents, as well as in carrying out preventive measures to ensure sustainable livestock farming in areas where nuclear power facilities are located.

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radiation accident iodine radioisotopes feed radioactivity thyroid gland radiation sickness absorbed dose mathematical modeling

Link for citing the article: Snegirev A.S., Basova M.A., Kozmin G.V., Mirzeabasov O.A. Influence of Natural Iodine on the Formation of Thyroid Exposure Levels in Dairy Cows during the Early Phase of Radiation Accidents. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika. 2025, no. 4, pp. 110-126; DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2025.4.08 (in Russian).

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