72
RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL
analyses were included in the survey report.4? Secondary foods such a
pandanus, breadfruit, and arrowroot were even less plentiful. Therefore
the survey sampled the wild, inedible plants which were available, eg.
Messershmidia and Scaevola. Since there were no domestic animals
Enewetak, the survey included extensive sampling of rats as ap
alternative. Wild birds, bird eggs, crabs, and turtles were also part of the
sampling effort, to provide data for terrestrial food ingestion dose
estimates. Although survey plans included the sampling of wells and rain
for drinking water,43 no such samples from these sources were taken. (4
water sample was taken from the distillation plant on Enewetak (Freq)
Island. No radioactivity was in the water, but two samples of sludge from
the plant showed positive strontium-90 and plutonium-239. The high
plutonium-239 value was 56 pico curies per gram, pCi/g.).44
Since most of the edible plants which would be consumed by thedri.
Enewetak after resettlement were not growing at Enewetak Atoll at the
time of the survey, the major terrestrial sampling effort involved soil.
Expectations were that, with an understanding of the amount of
tadioactivity in the soil, estimates could be made of the amount of
radioactivity in plants when grown in that soil. Soil samples were collected
from random locations on the surface (top 15 cm) of each island at a
frequency which averaged about 1.5 samples per hectare. Sampling
locations were estimated relative to landmarks, as engineering surveyors
were not available. Profile samples, extending to depths of 1.8 meters, were
taken at a frequency averaging about 0.2 samples per hectare. The
radiological exclusion area on Runit was much more intensely covered.
Profile samples were taken at each location on a uniform grid.
The marine sampling program concentrated on fish which are
commonly eaten by the Marshallese. This includes the reef and bottom
(lagoon) feeders as well as pelagic species. Approximately 800 samples of
fish and other marine life were obtained.45 Sediment and water samples
from the lagoon and from water-filled craters were also taken.
Air sampling was limited.46 Samples had been collected for 5 days when
the program was interrupted by Typhoon Olga on 23 October 1972.
Following the typhoon, samples were collected for 3 weeks. Samplers
included low- and ultra-high-volume types, as well as a_ particle
spectrometer. The samplers were operatedat six locations on five islands.
Samples were processedinitially at Enewetak (scanned, homogenized,
packaged, etc.) and then returned to CONUSfor analysis.4? A gamma
Spectral analysis was made on each sample at the Lawrence Livermore
Laboratory (LLL), and then samples were analyzed radiochemically for
radionuclides which are not amenable to gamma spectral analysis. These
later analyses were conducted at a number of commercial and
governmentallaboratories. Quality control of these laboratories consisted
2
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