SLIDE 30 Absorption through skin. According to Glasstone (G162) fallout will enter the body through the digestive tract, through the lungs, or through wounds or abrasions. No direct absorption through skin is written about in JCAES7, JCCRREF5S6, G162, Cr56 or Du56. Beta burns appeared on the skin of Rongelap people many weeks after exposure. Skin was thought by us to be intact at the t qe of contamination. Harrison (fa63) megpured the extend to which gaseous I, were absorbed through human Ty and aqueous solyfions of K'~°I and and for “kh rate was 7.8 x 10 absorption mean $§ ne For aqueous K*~°I the I, it was less. Use of stable I carrier with the gas was found to irritate and blistsT skin which may have led to, increased absorption reported for Ty (Ha63).,, Assuming Qel7 n _3f skin surface was exposed, a surface gaseous activity of 110 MBq m* (3.1 x 10~Ci m “) and 49 hours pf exposure at I intake based on Rongelap Island, leads us t9 egtimate 0.7 MBq (19Ci) since the estimate conservative a was an absorption rate 7.8 x10 “h ". This due to surface ground the as skin surface was not likely to be as contaminated Assuming the urine swimming, bathing and sloughing off of fallout granules. of intake estimate conservatiye bioassay results (Ha54) were accurate, the . through skin represent 20% of the total intake for About half the Rongelap adults had skin lesions on the scalp, neck and It was not likely, therefore, thar all feet 12 to 14 days post detonation. adults had 10% of skin surface exposed to ground contamination levels continuously, although it was assumed for the above estimate. Also, the iodine was in a solid calcium carbonate matrix, and was not Likely to be as Therefore, it was assumed I. transportable across the skin as was aqueous K by us that absorption through skin was not important. ABSORPTION THROUGH SKIN 10% Skin I Surface Maximum Absorption m? Exposed Rongelap Adult Male 0.17 Sifo Adult Male 0.17 Exposed. Utirik Adult Male 0.17 Hours hy h? Activity M Bq m* Intake 49 7.8x10% 100 0.72 59 7.8x10* 37 0.29 59 Rate” sty Surface 7.8x10°4 * Aqueous KI on skin surface. 32 12 M Bq 0.094