416

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RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK atoy,

(Figure 8-10). These concentrations would have to be considered jp th
layout and preparation of the worksite. However, it was planned that most

of the areas with excessive readings would be bulldozed directly into the
container area during thefinal soil cleanup and soil-cement operations or

simply covered by the domeextension, depending on thetotal volumeof
0
soil to be contained.
FIELD RADIATION SUPPORT TEAM (FRST) ACTIONS ON RUNIT
Crater containment required extensive preparation of work sites for
processing the contaminated material on the northern endofthe islang
and construction of storage, maintenance, and administrative facilities on
the southern end. Before this work could begin, meticulous radiological
safety and control procedures had to be implemented. Shortly after p.
Day, a temporary hotline was established at the boat landing by the FRST
and the entire island was treated as a radiologically controlled area pending

further identification of radiological contamination. A survey oftheErie

event area indicated that some contamination was present butthat it was
limited to a relatively low level, (Chapter 4). During the survey,

contaminated debris found south of Station 1310 was removed and

stockpiled on the northern end of the island. A permanent hotline was
then established across the island from the lagoon to the oceanat Station

1310. No protective clothing was required south ofthis line after July 1977.
however, the entire island of Runit was treated as a controlled island until
the project was completed.
In August 1977, the Radiological Safety Audit and Inspection Team

(RSAIT), which was established by the Director, DNA to provide an
independent review of radiological control and safety at frequent intervals,
conductedits first inspection. A memberof the team, Dr. John Auxier of
the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, recovered several plutonium
contaminated fragments in the Fig-Quince area and took several samples
of plutonium contaminated soil. Using some of the soil samples, he
attempted to conducta test, in which known plutonium contaminatedsoil
was purposely resuspended upwind of high-volume air samplers, to

determine if an airborne plutonium hazard existed. He was unable to

a

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complete the experiment during his visit because inclement weather

damaged the air sampler filters. However, a member of the FRST,
following Dr. Auxier’s instructions, completed the experiment in the
following weeks. No significant levels of plutonium were detected on any
of the filters which indicated that, in the Enewetak environment, there was
no significant hazard from airborne plutonium. Based on results of these
experiments and the RSAIT inspection, radiological protection measures

were modified.34

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