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should substantially reduce the dose rate.
radioactivity is all relatively long-lived:
of the external dose.

As expected, the residual
csl3T contributes 70-80 percent

Thus only a slow decrease with time can be expected

from radioactive decay.
Plant and animal tissue contained varying amounts of fission and

BO He

activation products.

Pre-1946 Bikinian diet consisted predominantly of -

fish, with pandanus fruit, coconut, arrow-root, and land crabs supplying a
lesser intake.

Imported foods such as dried milk, canned meats, flour, and

+ atege a

vars

rice were seldom used by the Bikini people prior to 1946.

Contacts with the

outside world doubtless have tended to alter former tastes.

Fish fortunately

showed low levels of radioactivity and could be eaten in normal amounts (1-2
pounds per day per adult) without reservation.

Pandanus, coconut meat and

milk, as well as coconut crabs (land crabs) all contain substantial amounts
of Cs

137

and sr,

Further work must be done with raw data before a realistic

evaluation of radiation risk due to consuming these foodstuffs can be made.
Exclusion of some locally-produced food items from the diet may be indicated,

as was done in the case of land crabs in the resettlement of Rongelap.
In summary, it appears that re-occupation of Bikini Atoll within the
near future would result in an external radiation exposure about double that
incurred by the average U. 8. population but similar to that now incurred by

residents of the Colorado Plateau area.

The matter of soil burial or plowing

would presumably reduce such exposure to near average levels.

(It should be

noted that the soil cover is thin--a few inches--and disruption of this might
impair the fertility of the islands. )

Consumption of local produce in normal

amounts would yield radioactive body burdens of Csl37 20 to 50 times greater

Select target paragraph3