Abstract
A delegation of five scientists participated in a U.S. National Research Council program to
review the status of research on the health and environmental impacts of nuclear testing at the
Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS) in eastern region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. From 11 August
through 25 August, 2000, we visited several research institutes in Kazakhstan and consulted with
numerous Kazakh researchers from academic disciplines ranging from radioecology to public
health and medicine. We focused on reviewing data on the health and environmental impacts
resulting from the testing. The health effects caused by the testing at STS have received a fair
amount of study, and research using modern techniques such as fluorescence in situ
hybridization and nuclear magnetic resonance will likely increase the reliability of dose
reconstruction. However, the extent to which the STS is contaminated has not been adequately
characterized, and the potential exposure to nomadic peoples and ecological receptors at the
uncontrolled test site is not known. Additional research in these areas, and development of
administrative controls for the site, appears warranted.