~84.
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DRAFT
A data base for assessment of terrestrial foodchain transfer
of radioactivity from the soil to man for long-term dose
evaluation upon rehabilitation of the atoll.
Methods and Measurements
The sampling program consisted of integrated sample series of food
_ species and soil profile samples obtained on an adhoc, species available
basis.
sampled.
All food species presently growing and fruiting on Bikini were
A broader sampting program based upon widely available natural
species, Messerschmidia and Scaevola, were also carried out to determine
the intra-island variations in vegetation radioactivity.
Soil profiles
were obtained from the root zone of each sampled tree to determine the
concentration of radioactivity in the root/soil environment.
Both leaves
and fruit were sampled so that leaf-to-fruit concentration ratios could be
calculated.
Nonfood species were sampled in the vicinity of the food species
to provide information on species variation in radionuclide uptake, and to
evaluate the use of nonfood Species concentrations in predictive assessment
of human intake when no food products are available for analysis.
This
approach was developed in the Enewetak survey due to paucity of food species
on the atoll.
The soil samp Ting results and the concentration factors and
correlation factors developed from the plant/soil data have been published
as a separate report (5).
This program along with the ground water program supplies the data
base for assessing the long-term dose commitment via foodchains upon
rehabitation of the atoll.
—scsa3