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‘Health Physics Pergamon Press 1963. Vol 9, pp. 15-23. Printed in Northern Ireland
0052
AOL 2S
USE OF A PORTABLE WHOLE-BODY COUNTER TO MEASURE
INTERNAL CONTAMINATION IN A FALLOUT-EXPOSED
POPULATION*
S. H. COHN, R. A. CONARD, E. A. GUSMANOand J. S. ROBERTSON
Medical Research Center, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, L.I., N.Y.
(Received 19 February 1962; in revisedform 7 June 1962)
Abstract—The evaluation of body burdens of radionuclides in large populations is a health
physics problem of considerable importance. Measurement with the whole-body y-spectro-
meter provides the best technique for this evaluation. A “portable” whole-body counter,
such as the BNL model, makesit possible to carry out studies in remote areas.
The report presents the technique of carrying out, in the field, a survey of internal con-
tamination in a population. The study used to illustrate the technique is the survey made
in 1961 of the y-ray spectra of a group of Marshallese people, some of whom hadaccidentally
been exposed to fallout from nuclear detonation in 1954. The results of the latest study are
presented in this report and comparedto the findings from previous field studies among the
Marshallese made in 1958 and 1959,
Possible directions in which the developmentof this technique might proceed, and other
possible applications of whole-body counting in the field are also discussed.
Rongelap Atoll who were accidentally exposed
to fallout in 1954. Early evaluation of the body
INTRODUCTION
THe evaluation of body burdens of radio-
burdens in these people was carried out by
nuclides in large populations is a health physics
radiochemical urinalysis, which is time-consuming anddifficult. In 1957, several Rongelap
problem of considerable importance at present.
Increasing production and use of fissionable
people were brought to Argonne National
materials, and renewed nuclear testing both
contribute to contamination of the atmosphere,
Laboratory where it was demonstrated that
their body burdens of gammaemitters could be
measured in the whole-body counter. (s18?
and Zn® were shown to be the prominent
isotopes in the Marshallese at that time.
The Rongelap people, originally evacuated to
water supplies and soil, and thus to increasing
body burdens of radionuclides among large
populations. Concomitant with the application
of nuclear materials is an ever-present possi-
bility of accident. The importance of keeping
anotherisland in 1954, were returned to their
the level of body burdens of various radio-
nuclides in the general population, as well as in
specific exposed groups under survey, is
manifest. For large scale surveys, measurement with
whole-body gamma counters (both liquid
scintillation detectors") and crystal detectors?)
has proved to be the mostsatisfactory technique.
An example of the successful application of this
homeisland in July 1957. Since the island and
was the study of the Marshallese people of
surveys to ascertain the level of internallydeposited y-emitting isotopes. In 1958, 100
Marshallese people were counted, and the
procedure was repeated oneyearlater to obtain
the indigenousfood sourcesstill had a low level
of persisting radionuclides, continued evaluation
of the body burdens in these people was of
considerable interest.
A portable whole-body counter was designed
and constructed at Brookhaven Laboratory and
transported to the Marshall Islands whereit has
since been employed during the annual medical
technique, using a portable whole-body counter,
* Research supported by the U.S. Atomic Energy
Commission.
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