50
RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION OF AREAS IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN FROM NUCLEAR TESTS
Table 48 indicates that the average concen-
tration of strontium-90 in the total food supply
might be less than 360 Sunshine Units. (The
data on land crabs shown in Table 48 are from
the Island of Kabelle which is more heavily
contaminated than the Island of Rongelap).*
Table 48—Estimates of Contamination of the Normal Food Supply of Rongelapese
A
B
Daty
INTAKE
Pounps/
Day/
PERSON
Fish |... 2-222 o nee een een eee eee ee eee e een eee
Pandanus..
Clams...._.
Arrowroot....---------
‘Wild birds (muscle). .....--.----.
Land erabs.._...--..--------.----Coconut meat and milk..
Bread fruit... --- 222-2222 eee eee eee eee nn eee
Imported:
Rilo... one en ee ee ne ee een ee ene nee eee eeeene
Flour. ....---.
-
Canned beef. _
Milk....---...
Sardines. -......--.-------------Shoyu_...---.-...-----
Coffee. .....--.--------
Calcium
CONTENT
Ca/gm
wet weight)
Cc
D
Dany InraKE oF Ca{
(gms)
0.
0.16
0.018
0. 025
0. 645
0. 184
0.021
0. 029
9.01
0. 0008
0. 003
0. 0034
-
0.1
ConTRIBUtion TO
See
INTAKE
8. U.)
Sow
X E)
0.001
0. 001
0. 004
4 0.0006
~
-
F
Fraction |StRontruM-00
oF ToTaL
ContTENtT
Ca INTAKE
(S. Ue
L2
0.36
0.1
0. 09
0, 09
#0.03
0. 02
E
0. 0001
0.004
0. 0004
~0. 0001
0. 004
0,055
0. 004
~~. 045
0. 0046
0.063
0. 0046
~D. 046
12
* 500
5
250
300
» © (4000)
40
260
Few
7.73
492.0
0.11
7.
661.38
(252. 0)
0.02
0. 88
Small
-
TOBQ. 2 eee eee eee eee eee eee ee eee neces
* Average values.
* These data are from island of Kabelle (no date from island of Rongelap for July 1956 survey). General contamination of island of Rongelap is
about one-fifth that of Kabelle. Lagoon water around these islands do not showas great a difference in activity.
« These are land crabs from island of Kabelle. The strontium-90 concentration is higher than from earlier surveys, which {is contrary to the plant
activity as well as to the soil, and marine life data.
(It has been estimated that about one-third of the intake of crab meat is from ocean crabs which
have very Little strontium-90 content.)
* Estimated.
¢ An unknown partof this intake may be sea crabs (which contain considerably less Sr) but is assumed here to be all land crabs.
However, if crabs were eliminated from thediet,
the intake might average about 107 Sunshine
Units. Further, elimination or restriction of the
consumption of pandanus would reduce the
strontium—90 intake to well under 100 Sunshine
Units.
b. Estimated Future Body Burden of Strontvum90
Three principal factors are operative in esti*There ts some doubt concerning the correct strontium-00 activity in
the land crabs, since the values are higher than for previous surveys
which is contrary to all other data. Additional surveys should clarify
this point. In any event the land crabs tested are from the island of
Kabelle. (There were no collections of land crabs made on Rongelap
Island during the last survey.)
The geners! contamination on Rongelap
is about one-fifth that of Kabelle. The difference in strontium-00 content may not be as great as this, but since these are Jand crabs it would
be expected those on Rongelap Island to be lower than on Kabelle Island.
mating the future body burden of strontium-90
of the Rongelapese:
(1) Although precise values have not been
established, there may be a discriminatory
factor of several between Sr/Ca ratio in the
food supply and that found in the bones."
(2) If the Rongelapese were returned to
their homeisland, their diet would be supplemented by imported (relatively uncontaminated) foods, especially rice. Also, the
cisterns would be cleaned out and refilled
with fresh water as well as having new
cisterns built.
(3) Despite the wide variances in the data,
analysis of the results from all of the surveys
on the Pacific Islands shows a general decline