44
—T
T
Y
T
TT
T
_—
z
“
&
T
Tr
Tv
FEMALES
20+
4
4
‘
kas
& 1
4
INTERMEDIATE
r
t
J
To
v
c0V——_—O
SJ").
t
E
'
~#
+
MALES
» 20+
=
z
uw
uo
wi
a
tol
.
4
|
POSITIVE
i
40
45
50 55
6 65 70 75 80 85
TIME IN MINUTES
tL
i
mad
I
90 935 100 105
Figure 48. Percent distribution of glucose-6-phosphate
dehydrogenase deficiency tn males and females (percent
of persons versus deco)orization time).
relatively high BAIB values, which suggest that
there may be an Asian focusfor the high BAIB
excretor gene.
Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase Determi-
nation. One male ( #11) decolorized at 102 min
and wasclassified as positive; three females (+18,
22, and 851) decolorized at 80, 85, and 93 min,re-
spectively, and wereclassified as intermediates. The
distributions are shown in Figure 48.
The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency appears to exist in the Rongelap population, although in fairly low frequency. The number of tests done was too small for any final conclusions to be drawn, and it is important that these
results be confirmed on subsequentvisits, parucularly with tests done in the field in order to
eliminate the possibility of sample deterioration
during
S
tramspon
transport.
DOE ARCHIVES
Radionuclide Body Burden
Evaluation
INTRODUCTION
In considering the evaluation ofthe radionuclide
body burden of the Rongelap people, the following facts should be kept in mind. During the two
days that the people remained on the island after
the fallout occurred in 1954 (prior to their evacuation), they lived in a radioactively contaminated
environment andmade little or no effort to avoid
inhaling the radioactive material] or ingesting it in
their food and water. The resulting internal radioactive contamination wasreflected bysignificant
levels of activity in their urine detected byradiochemicalanalysis. Following their evacuation, the
people lived for 3 years on the uncontaminated
islands of Kwajalein and Majuro. The people of
Utirik were returned several monthsafter the accident to their home island, since the level of contamination there was very low.
The initial body burdensof internal emitters
were estimated from data obtained by radiochemical analysis of the tissues of pigs which had been
simultaneously exposed, and also from a comparison of human and animal urinalysis data.** The
mean body burden at one daywas estimated (in
pC) as Sr°*, 1.6; Ba'**, 2.7; 173", 6.4, and the rare
earth grouptogether, 1.2.‘The contribution ofthis
amountof internal contamination is small compared to the 175 r external gamma dose received.
In the first few monthsfollowing this acute exposure, Sr®* and I’™ (plus the shorter-lived 1odine
isotopes) contributed the greatest internal radiation dose. Sr*® contributed the major portion of
the beta dose to the skeleton at this early time.
The highest dose to an individualtissue (100 to
150 rep) was delivered to the thyroid by I’*’ and
the shorter-lived isotopes, 1'**, 17°58, and I'**.
In the spring of 1957, 3 years after the accident,
four Rongelap people, two Utirik people and one
unexposed Marshall Islander were taken to
Argonne Nationa] Laboratory, and gamma spectrographic analyses were carried out in a whole-
body counter. Distinct photopeaks indicating the
presence of significant levels of Cs'** and Zn**
were detected in the spectra of exposed Rongelap
people and the unexposed subject.®** This experience demonstratedthefeasibility of using in vivo
whole-body counting techniquesfor estimating
body burdensin these people. In the following
year, 1958, a “portable” stee] room and a whole-
body gamma spectrometer were constructed at
Brookhaven National Laboratory which could be
transported to the Marshall Islandsfor use in further studies.
In July 1957, after careful radiological surveys
which showedthe island of Rongelap to be safe
for habitation, the people were returned and
settled in acompletely newvillage which had
been constructed for them. Lowlevels of contami-
nation persisted on the island, which havesince