December 17, 1976 7 - ~ SPY8 eeeSallene PG Oa TOME ag ote ba sbeyare! Dr. J. L. Liverman Office of the Assistant Administrator for Environment and Safety Energy Research and Development Adminis tration Washington, D.C. 20545 [ “Taneh, Woah con 63 442 Vetephane 595) “946-2421 Foden 32-G305 Dear Jim: The Transuranium Technical Group met in Washington, D.C. on December 8,-1976 to review the data which suggest the possible contamination of the inhabitants of Bikini with plutonium. We believe this is an appropriate task for the TTG and are pleased to provide the following comments. The TIG views the issue of transuranium element contamination of present and future residents of the Bikini atoll? as consisting of four major questions which need to be addressed. 1. Do the residents of Bikini have body burdens of plutonium above those of other persons throughout the world living in the same latitude? 2. If the Bikini residents do have increased plutonium body burdens, what is the source of their plutonium burden? 3. What transuranic body burdens are projected for the future for current residents and their descendants? 4. What potential health risks are associated with current and projected transuranic body burdens of the Bikini residents? In addressing the first of these questions, data presented to the TTG indicated that plutonium burdens of the Bikini residents were 10-100 times greater than plutonium levels in residents of the continental United States. These estimates were derived from plutonium analysis of urine samples from Bikini residents and residents of New York City. Unfortunately the validity of the urine data is subject to question. The New York City data vary by a factor of 10 (v0.1 to 0.1 pCi Pu/l). The lower value appears to be reconcilable with the best estimate of plutonium burdens in U.S. residents from fallout, or 2 pCi. The Bikini data are highly suspect because of possible cross contamination. The samples were not collected in a manner to rule out possible contamination of urine by plutonium-contaminated soil on the body and clothing of the person providing the sample or from resuspension of Pu-contaminated soil. Also, urine samples were generally pooled which prevented identification of possible sampling descrepancies. Thus, the TTG concluded that the first question, whether the Bikini residents have elevated body burdens of transuranic elements, cannot be answered with available data. Therefore, the TTG recommends that an effort be made to obtain urine samples from selected representative residents of Bikini under carefully controlled conditions that would minimize possibilities of cross contamination. Samples should not be pooled but clearly identified with specific