Radiological Concerns
The primary radiological problems are the result of residual fission and activation produces in the
1) ixterrestrial environment. They have been identified by previous environmental surveys as follows:
cercal radiarcon levels significantly ‘iszher on some .slands in an acoll compared to levels on Lizhe’y
cont:minated
~.)
Lsianas.
Fiss1onm and
activation orocuct
radivaccivity
in cercain terrestrial
food
items
now growing on islands of these acolls and the possibility thac unaccepcable levels of these radionuclides
may appear in foods, plants and animals newly introduced into these atolls.
3) Radioactivity in the
ground water,
»
a possible source of drinking water and water
sy
s&s urcaice se 't.
The:
previous radiological survey reports.
Table L.
acto +s
Hot spots
Eneu
Outer edge
Island center
N.E. corner
Bokantuak, Iomelan,
Rojkere, Eonjebi
Aerokoj-imenman complex:
Aerokoj, Aerokojlol
Bikdrin, Lele
Eneman
East Eneman
West Eneman
Enidrik
Ease Enidrik
West Enidrik
Mator_coneribustors
2/Cs
.010=,330
60co,
-OB0=, 120+
-002=.010
-001-,010
Lomi lik
Odrik, Lroij.
ke
60¢9, 1255, 102m,
-001-.010
-020-.570
1003=,235
6065, 125,,, 102m,
-003-.030
-010-.235
020,050
.010-.030
-005=.020
.020=, 330
.010-,040
Cs
wk
.001-.570
-060-.130
.015-.045
C8152
we
.006-.010
-010-.035
Bokbata
137
~010-.030
-015-.150
-110-.330
~003-.010
Bokaetoktok
Aomen-[roij complex:
Aomen
Plutonium and americidm
Rize
-01L0-.120
-010-,030
.020-,040
050.080
.060~, 200
Bokdrolul
4)
(mR/hr)
Exposure rate
Luko|
Jelete
Oroken
irrigation.
Gamma Radiation Rates in dikini aAcoll”
Island
Bikini
Weathered areas
Close to shore
Island center
Nem
for
p
ate illustraved by daca in Taples 1 throush 4 taken iren
.
6005, 255, 102m),
“™
k
e
600, 137c,
4, 12555
wk
"See ref, 9.
wee
No soil sampie or Field spectra measurements.
In some cases, the predicted doses and dose commitments derived from survey information for Bikini
and Enewetak Atolls approach or even exceed national and international radiation protection standards for
certain Living and dietary patterns.
Corrective actions or restrictions must be placed on use of these
atolls and their resources to assure that the applicable radiation standards are not exceeded,
Herein
lies the primary justificacion for the continuing environmental followup surveys sponsored by ERDA.
Environmental Monitoring
The most important sources of exposure to people Living on Rongelap and to future residents of Bikini
and Enewetak Acolls are from incterral deposition of radioisotopes from certain elements iu the human
diec, and from the long term occupancy of islands having external radiation dose rates higher than
natural background, Aside from periodic re-evaluations to establish trends in external dose rate
teduction, external radiation monitoring will assume less significance, compared to monitoring of the
food chain, as time passes. At present, annual visits are being made to idencify and collect representative samples of local diecs for taboratory analysis and dose commitment updates.
New locally
grown food items are becoming available in small quantities on Bikini Island as a resule of the experimental agriculeural practices of a small group of caretaker families living there.
Neither Bikini Aroll,
where radiological cleanup has been completed, nor Enewetak Atoll where clean up has not yet begun,
have a subsistence igriculture resource in being which fs sufficient te suppore the anticipated populations which will one day live there (though such crops are currently being developed or planned).