Refractive properties of separate erythrocytes of Chernobyl clean-up workers at different pH

This study is focused on the modifications in erythrocytes of Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident clean-up workers as a late health effect of short-term impact of high level radioactive contamination. As a result, a new method based on erythrocyte (RBC) refractive index properties at different pH has been elaborated. According to the light dispersion theory for fluids refractive index is associated with molecules mass m. This feature is widely used for estimation of cell dry mass. But there is another refractive index dependency from molecules charge q regardless of its sing. This feature is not being used for cell quantitative and qualitative characterization. In this study, RBC were investigated using newly elaborated method based on RBC refractive index properties at different pH. Subjects of this study were residents of Latvia who have been working in Chernobyl during 1986. Laboratory tests revealed increased mean cell hemoglobin concentration in 50.1% of Chernobyl clean-up workers versus 9.6% of non-exposed Latvian population. Refractive indices of RBC were measured at 19 different pH for each individual and appropriate curve constructed. There were three significant maxima of the refractive index: at pH 2.25, 6-8, and 12.20. The curves of the Chernobyl clean-up workers when compared each other within the group showed distinct dispersion. Besides them, the isoelectric point was shifted to the alkaline end of the pH scale in comparison with the control curves: isoelectric point of clean-up workers curves corresponded to pH = 7.8 whereas that of the control group members curves was at 6.5. In both groups refractive index was in range n = 1.5886-1.6786.