calcujJation of internal dose commitments is based on an intake at 9 hours after Shot
Bravo, with large-particle dose conversion factors applied to the radionuclide inventoThe inventory, which is based on radiochemical analysis of Bravo, is
ry to that time.
normalized
to
the activity
level of
Intake of
iodine-131.
this radionuclide
is
determined from the body metabolism of iodine that led to a measured activity of
[-131 in urine samples taken 17 days after Bravo.
The calculated thyroid dose commitment of 190 rem is by far the largest organ
dose commitment, and the dose is accrued comparatively rapidly.
Short-lived radio-
nuclides dominate the thyroid dose, which is seven times that from I-13! alone. If the
intake had been at 13 hours after Bravo, the thyroid dose would be six times that from
1-131 (based on the Reference |! radionuclide inventory). Thus, the thyroid dose is not
sensitive to actual time of intake within the fallout deposition period.
The only other dose commitments that exceed the dose from external gamma
radiation are for the sections of the large intestine.
Actinide emitters, produced by
the neutron activation of U-238 during the detonation, are significant to these doses.
Because GI tract doses are dominated by the ingested contents in transit rather than '
by absorbed radionuclides, these doses are also accrued rapidly.
Caution is advised in interpreting these calculated internal doses for specific
individuals. Based on a pooled urine sample, the calculated doses represent an average
or nominal dose estimate and do not necessarily pertain to a specific individual.
However, limited individual urine sampling reported by Dr. Harris (Reference 9)
indicated only a modest spread of results.
The counts of the individual samples were
consistent to within 40 percent “of their mean.
Also, the implied intake of I-13l
agreed well with that from the pooled sample.
5.2
COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS DOSE DETERMINATIONS.
Dose determinations for personnel on atolls downwind of CASTLE Bravo have
been principally of two types:
shortly after
the
event, and
the initial estimates developed in the mid-1950s,
the long-term, continuing followup by
Brookhaven
26
a