ABSTRACT
This report is intended as a resource document for the eventual cleanup
of Bikini Atoll
and contains a summary of the data for the concentrations of
137¢cs, 90sr, 239+240pu, and 24]aAm in vegetation through 1987 and in soil
through 1985 for 14 islands at Bikini Atoll.
The data for the main residence
island, Bikini, and the second most important island,
Eneu,
are extensive;
these islands have been the subject of a continuing research and monitoring
program since 1974.
Data for radionuclide concentrations in ground water,
cistern water, fish and other marine species, and pigs from Bikini and Eneu
Islands
are presented.
Also
included
are
general
summaries
resuspension and rainfall data from Bikini and Eneu Islands.
of our
The data for the
other 12 islands are much more limited because samples were coilected as part
of a screening survey and the islands have not been part of a continuing
research and monitoring program.
Cesium-137 is the radionuclide that produces
most of the estimated dose for returning residents, mostly through uptake by
terrestrial foods and secondly by direct external gamma exposure.
measures for reducing the !37cs uptake in vegetation are discussed.
Remedial
INTRODUCTION
In the fall of 1978, a radiological survey was made of Bikini Atoll and
11 atolls or islands east and southeast of Bikini.
are located in the general
These atolls or islands
direction of the fallout pattern that originated
from the BRAVO test on March 1, 1954 at Bikini Atoll (Fig. 1).
This survey, referred to as the Northern Marshall
Islands
Radiological
Survey (NMIRS), was planned to be an aerial radiological reconnaissance to map
the external
gamma-ray exposure rates over the
islands of
each
atoll.
However, an earlier dose assessment of Enewetak Atoll] (US AEC, 1973; Robison
et al., 1981c) and a preliminary dose assessment of Bikini
Atoll
(Robison
et al., 1982b) indicated that the most significant potential exposure pathway
at the contaminated atolls was the terrestrial
food chain.
Therefore, we
Suggested (in addition to the external gamma aerial survey) that sampling of
soil, vegetation, ground water, cistern water, and marine species be included’
as part of the program.
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Thus, the final survey plan incorporated a secondary