SLIDE 44
Environmental levels of radioactivity. BNL personnel commenced limited
environmental monitoring of the Marshall Islands for radioactivity in April
1974. Since then, members of the staff have made a number of field trips to

the Marshall Islands to collect a representative cross-section of vegetation,
animals, fruits, soil and water found on the inhabited islands for the purpose
of assessing the activity intake by people.
The surveys covered Kwajalein, Wotho, Bikini, Rongelan,and YRarik

Atolls.

In general, all samples were analyzed for

~~Sr,

Pu,

gamma emitters which may have been present at the time of analysis.

Pu and any

The specife activity per unit dry weight .9f foods, brush and soil are

given here.
The predominant activities were
Sr and
Cs.
The activity
ratios between islands were based on thousands of measurements and apply to
all nuclides.

ENVIRONMENTAL LEVELS OF
RADIOACTIVITY MID 1970's
Bq g' Dry Weight
Description

Sy

239 py

870g

©Co

241 Am

Bikini
PandanusFruit
Scaveola Leaves
Soil
Coconut Meat

8.7
3.4
2.0
_

0.019
0.0093
0.052
_

15
14
2.9
36

0.61
_~
0.048
-

—
0.27
-

Activity Ratio
-

Bikini / Rongelap

Bikini / Utirik

47

4

20

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