50
RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION OF AREAS IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN FROM NUCLEAR TESTS
data on land crabs shown in Table 48 are from
Table 48 indicates that the average concen-
tration of strontium-90 in the total food supply
might be less than 360 Sunshine Units.
the Island of Kabelle which is more heavily
contaminated than the Island of Rongelap).*
(The
Table 48—Estimates of Contamination of the Normal Food Supply of Rongelapese
A
B
Darr
INTAKE
Pounps/
Day/
PrRson
Fish . 22-22 ne eee ee ene eee eee ee ee eee ene eens
Pandanus._..-...-..--.--.----.
Clams........----------+-- oe
Arrowroot....--..---------+---
‘Wild birds (muscle). --..-..--.
Land crabs-..---.---.-.-.
Coconut meat and milk...
Bread fruit. _...-..--....-
Catcrom
ConrTrnt
(gms Ca/
wet waight)
oC
D
Dany Inwake or Ca!
(gms)
z
Fracnion
ov Tota,
Ca INTAKE
L2
0.36
0.1
0.09
0.001
0. 001
0. 004
4 0. 0006
0. 56
0.16
0. 018
0. 025
0. 645
0.184
0. 021
0.029
#0.03
0.02
0.01
0.004
0. 0004
©. 9006
0.055
0. 004
0.003
0.063
0. 0046
©. 0034
0.09
Ok
0. 0002
~0.0001
0. 004
~0. M5
© Average values.
® These data are from island of Kabelle (no date from island of Rongelap for Juty 1956 survey).
0. 0046
~0. 046
¥
Conrtainvsion To
|Srronrrum-00
Br®
CONTENT
INTAKE
(8. U.)«
8. 0.)
Gores
xX E)
12
§ 900
5
250
7.73
992.9
Ql
7.6
300
$61.38
Few
8mali
© « (4000)
40
260
(252. 0)
0,02
0. 88
General contamination of island of Rongelap is
about one-fifth that of Kabelle. Lagoon water around these islands do not show as 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 dats. (1t has been estimstod that about one-third of the intake of crab meat {fs from ocean crabs which
t
have very Httle strontinm-00 content.)
¢ Estimated.
¢ An anknown part of 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 Strontium90
Three principal factors are operative in estiThere fs 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
Easbelle. (There were no collections of land crabs made on Rongelsp
Inland during the last survey.) The general 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 land 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 honieisland, their diet would be supplemented by imported (relatively uncontami-
nated) 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
ra
DOE ARCHIVES