BIKINI ATOLL Radionuclide concentrations measured in cistern water at Bikini, Table 2, are are less presently atolls. than recommended higher than the Federal guidelines concentrations in shown in for drinking water but water supplies at other Several processes may contribute to this phenomenon. Water collects surfaces. These in the cisterns surfaces face through the troughs connected prevailing wind direction, direction, or are oriented at right angles to the wind. buildings 5, 10, 12, and 14 on Bikini Island to sloping roof the downwind Cisterns connected to receive water drained from windward-facing surfaces. There are downwind-facing surfaces on building 39 and the Island the southern part of Eneu oriented at a right angle to the wind. 1975 was analyzed, particulates were surfaces.> The the rain, next suspected water Bikini differently these thereby The school roof is some the wind subsequently forms and wash contaminated deposited into the on roof cisterns facing the wind might accumulate more particulates than roof Therefore cisterns surfaces January connected was 39 had and to collected from building but there was in concentration. with was surfaces. radionuclide of It the water radionuclides, that by increasing Island oriented periods, would hall. After the cistern water collected in suggested suspended particulates oriented from was being that roofs differently it mess various for the November of 1977, buildings with analysis. During both lowest concentrations of little difference between water from buildings 10 or 12 and the school cistern. the concentrations in These results provided some support for the resuspension argument. We facing tested roof the theory surface There was 38 (51 further by m2) of 1 of wash water completely washing building 10 with 55 1 intercepted before it reached 2-wk period had elapsed since the previous rain. of 2394240), processing. in and 17,110 fCi down of 90cy, The of the windward- redistilled the water. cistern. A The wash contained 1,890 fCi 13765 sample was lost during The ratio of sodium to chloride in the water was similar to that seawater, indicating that sea~salt aerosols are among the resuspended components on the roof surfaces. Previous measurements at Bikini demonstrated that there was considerable variation consistent was in the ratios everywhere radionuclide were between concentrations found 10 to between 20 times in different the ll 239+ 240 soil over the radionuclides. Pu concentration island, The but 90 Sr in surface