National Laboratory on the affected Marshallese.
While the servicemen on Rongerik
Atoll do not fall under the Brookhaven charter, they do obtain limited mention in
Brookhaven reports with respect to the consistency of external dose estimates.
Moreover, the internal dose methodologies for the two groups are perforce similar, as
the underlying data are related.
Consequently, as the current Brookhaven report
(Reference 19) provides the best synthesis of earlier work, it affords a sufficient
comparison with this analysis.
EXTERNAL DOSE
Previous studies have the following features in commonfor dose estimates to the
servicemen on Rongerik: doses are based on free-field intensities, are reported as air
exposure (R), and thus are non-specific as to individual's activities.
These estimates
have recently been referred to in terms of rad or rem, which further blurs the,
distinction between them and the calculated film badge doses that are presented in™
this report.
Thus, the previous estimates, which are generally in the range of 70-
100 R, would correspond to about 50-70 rem with the use of the 0.7 rem/R film badge
conversion factor.
With the inclusion of the protection factor of about 2 for time
indoors, the estimates would be reduced further and adequately correspond to the
present results.
Earlier reports displayed no interest in arriving at individualized
estimates; it is not even clear that the 1950's researchers had access to the full range
of then-classified information that would have been required for such estimates.
Brookhavenlists along with its current estimates of whole body external doses to
the Marshallese a corresponding value for Rongerik personnel, 81 rad.
This value is
treated as if it were the whole body dose and thus additive, without adjustment, to an
internal dose in rem. This is the treatment afforded the corresponding external dose
estimates for the Marshallese, to arrive at total thyroid doses.
Actually, 81 rad is
arrived at by application of a Marshallese living-style factor to an estimate of
integrated intensity in free air.
No consideration was given to the substantially
greater shielding of the servicemen. Thus, the Brookhaven estimate is not germane to
the Rongerik servicemen (Reference 22).
27
Cj