Micronucleus Induction inVicia FabaRoots

Abstract
A dose-effect relationship was established for high-energy neutrons (maximum energy 600 MeV) within a dose range of 0.2 to 80 cGy [centigray] and for low-energy neutrons produced by a 252Cf source (mean energy 2.35 MeV) for doses between 0.2 and 5 cGy. The frequency of micronuclei was found to increase linearly with dose. The relative biological effectiveness (r.b.e) values calculated using 60Co radiation as a reference were, in the high-dose region, 4.7 .+-. 0.4 and 11.8 .+-. 1.3 for the high- and low-energy neutrons, respectively. At doses below 1 cGy constant values of 25.4 .+-. 4.4 and 63.7 .+-. 12 were reached for the respective neutron energies.