Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 64 (2003) 19–25 www.elsevier.com/locate/jenvrad The effects of exposure of 60 Co on the oxidant/antioxidant status among radiation victims Mustafa Demir a,* , Dildar Konukog ˘lu b , Levent Kabasakal a , Hakan Kadir Yelke b , Kadir Ergen c , Sabbir Ahmed a a Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey b Department of Biochemistry, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey c Haseki Public Hospital, Section of Internal Medicine of the Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey Received 3 December 2001; received in revised form 17 March 2002; accepted 24 March 2002 Abstract This retrospective study has been performed with radiation victims who were accidentally exposed to a 60 Co source and its release into the environment. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of elevated radiation exposures on plasma level, on erythrocyte thio barbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) level and on erythrocyte glutathione (GSH) levels. Patients were treated in different hospitals with different symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, along with severe anemia in some patients. Blood samples were collected 3–5 days following the radiation accident. Increases in plasma (6.25±0.90 nmol ml -1 ) and erythrocyte TBARS levels (330.5±30.5 μmol gHb -1 ) were found in comparison to a healthy group (3.72±0.68 nmol ml -1 and 150.7±20.5 μmol gHb -1 , respectively) at a significant level (p0.001). Erythro- cyte GSH levels (5.2±0.30 μmol gHb -1 ) were found to be decreased among the victims (healthy group: 10.2±0.7 μmol gHb -1 ) at the same significance level (p0.001). These obser- vations confirm a significant change induced by radiation in the oxidant/antioxidant status among the victims. It is suggested here that antioxidant supplementation therapy might be effective in preventing the harmful effects of 60 Co radiation among radiation victims.  2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: 60 Co; Radiation exposure; Oxidative stress * Corresponding author. Cerrahpas ¸a Tıp Faku ¨ltesi, Nu ¨kleer Tıp ABD, 34303 Cerrahpas ¸a, Istanbul, Turkey. Tel.: +90-212-586-02-82; fax: +90-212-587-82-30. E-mail address: mmdemir@e-kolay.net (M. Demir). 0265-931X/02/$ - see front matter.  2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII:S0265-931X(02)00037-1