peliable assessments of actual doses must be determined through personoel monitoring. External radiation
dosimeters do not appear to be a practical means of personnel monitoring for individual external dose
measurements, although certain individuals within given populations may be relied upon to wear them,
A "lifestyle model" which includes estimates of occupancy factors for various locations in a given atoll
has been coupled with environmental monitoring data to estimate average external radiation doses co
individuals, This model will be revised as needed so that it closely approximates the actual lifestyle
of the people.
The more important internal pathway can be monitored directly by conventional techniques of bioassay
and whole body counting of individuals.
A portable shadow shield whole body counter has been constructed
and mounted in a shipboard trailer for use in the Marshall Islands,
It is capable of quantitative
detection of very small quanticies of certain tadionuclides in the body such as 13?¢s and Co, the
primary environmental gamma emitters at Bikini, Enewetak and Rongelap Atolls. The system clearly identi- fies individuals in the Rongelap population who are noe following the recommended dietary
restrictions
on eating coconut crabs from certain locations. (42543) Body burdens of 90gr/90y, 239,240py and
An
are estimated by the radiochemical analysis of urine samples.
Urine sample collections and whole body
- counting will be performed every one to two years at Bikini and Enewetak Atolls when the people return,
‘and every two to three years at Rongelap Atoll until the results warrant less frequent measurement
'intervals.
Summa

Marshall Islands Radiological Followup has consisted of intensive environmental studies at Bikini,
Enewetak, and Rongelap Atolls to gather radiological data on the external radiation environment and on

radioactivity in food chains,

Radiation and radioactivity levels in these atolls are being reduced with

time.
These changes are monitored in annual or biannual environmental surveys. Updated information is
used to make conservative estimates of population doses and dose commitments. When people have returned,
actual internal doses to individuals are determined for whole body counting and bioassay data. These
results are combined with environmental data on the external radiation environmene to complete che cotal
dose assessment picture,

AEC

Sons OLED

References
1.
Dunning, G. M., “Radioactive Contamination of Certain Areas in the Pacific Ocean from Nuclear
Tests, A Summary of the Data from the Radiolegical Surveys and Medical Examinations", USAEC Report,
August, 1957,
2. Held, E. E., “Gamma Dose Rates at Rongelap Aroll, 1954-1963", USAEC Reporte, UWFL-91, May 1965.
3,
Donaidson, L. R., et al.
“Bikini-Eniwetok Studies, 1964, Part 1 and II", University cf Washington,
Laboratory of Radiation Biology, UWFL-93, September 15, 1966.
4.
Beck, H. L., Bennett, B, G. and McCraw, T. F,, "External Radiation Levels on Bikini Atoll’; May
1967, USAEC Report, BASL-190, December 1967.
5.
Bennett, B. G. and Beck, H. L., “External Radiation on Bikini Atoll", Nature 223: 925-928 , 1969.
6. Held, E. E., “Radiological Resurvey of Animals, Soils and Ground Water at Bikini Atoll, 1969-1970",
University of Washington, College of Fisheries, NVO-269-8 (Rev. 1), February 1971.
7.
Smith, A. E. and Moore, W. E., "Report of Radiological Clean up of Bikini Atoll, Office of Dose
Assessment and Systems Analysis'', Western Environmental Research Laboratory, Environmental Protection
Agency, SWRHL-lllr, January 1972.
8. McCraw, T. F. and Lynch, 0. D. T. Jr., "Exposure Rate Reduction on Bikini Island Due to Concrete
Dwellings, USAEC Report, WASH-1273, June 1973.
197 McCraw, T. F., “Levels of Environmental Radioactivity in Bikini Atoll", USAEC Report, WASH-1289,
10.
Enewetak Radiological Survey, Volumes I, II and III, USAEC Nevada Operations Office, Repore NVO-140,
October 1373,
:
~
oe
mest
.
ane
ll.
Lynch, 0. D. T. Jr., McCraw, T. F., Nelson, V, A., amd Moore, W. E., "Radiological Resurvey of
Food, Soil, Air and Ground Water at Bikini Atoll, 1972", USERDA Report, ERDA-34, February 1975.
12. Gudiksen, P. H., and Robison, W. L., "Preliminary External Dose Estimates for Future Bikini Atoll

Inhabitants, Lawrence Livermre Laboratory Report, Preliminary UCRL-51879, August 1975.

3.
Palumbo, R. F. and Lowman, F. G., "The Occurrence of Antimony-125, Europium-155, Iron-55 and
Other Radionuclides in Rongelap Atoll Soil", USAEC Report UWFL~56, April 7, 1958.
.

14.

Lowman, F. G., "Marine Biological Investigations at the Eniwetck Test Site", from Tisposal of

Radioactive Wastes, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1960.
15. Walker, R. B., Held, E. E. and Gessel, S. P., "Radiocesium in Plants Grown on Rongelap Atoll
Soils, Rec, Advan. Bot. 2: 1363-1367, 1961.
16.
Cole, D. W., Gessel, S, P. and Held, E. E., "Tension Lysimeter Studies of Ion and Moisture Movement in Glacial Till and Coral Atoll Soils) Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 25: 321-325,
1961,
17,
Lowman, F. G. and Palumbo, R. F., "Occurrence of Bismuch-207 at Eniwetok Atoll", Nature 193:
796-797, 1962,
18.
Chakravarti, D. and Held, E. E., "Chemical and Radiochemical Composicion of the Rongelapese
Diet", 3, Food Sei, 28: 221-228, 1963.
19, Kenady, R. M., "The Soils of Rongelap Atoll, Marshall Islands", University of Washington Press,
Corvallis, 1962.
20. Held, E. E., "Qualitative Distribution of Radionuclides at Rongelap Atoll", Amer. Inst. Biol,

sci., Reinhold Publ, Co., New York, 1963, pp. 167-169.

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