fallout. Theysuffered no blast trauma nor thermai burns. The fallout material consisted of
numerous radioactive fission products. some
neutron-induced radioeiements, and a smail
amount of fissionable material. The
Marshallese were exposed to (1) penetrating
two weeks after exposure. Only radioactive
strontium (°*Sr) and iodine ('*"I) were near the
maximum permissible leveis. Based on later
studies, plutonium, a long-lived element, was
present in small amounts and well within the
Federal Guidelines (See Chapter VII). This ele-
gammaradiation resuiting in whole body expo-
ment and strontium can be deposited in the
sure, (2) skin radiation from deposition offallout on the skin, and (3) internal absorption of
radioactive materials from consumption of contaminated food and water and,to a lesser
extent, from inhalation.
Calculation of the acute radiation doses
bones. However, no effects of any of these
absorbed elements, except for radioiodine,
which concentrates in the thyroid gland, have
been detected in the Marshallese people. By six
months, there was barely detectable radicactivity in the urine of the Rongelap people.
results of radiological surveys of the islands,
the length of time of exposure to thefallout, the
of thyroid abnormalities (largely from
radioiodine exposure), it became apparent that
sumed, and, !ater, urinalyses on the exposed
people. There were many variables and uncer-
too low; and re-evaluation of the doses received
by the Marshallese, based on later data, are |
dose of gammaradiation probably was the most
accurate. The skin exposure was spotty and the
doses are not accurately known, although in
many cases. they were estimated to be weil
above 1000 rad from soft beta rays. The amount
of internal exposure was derived by radiochemical urinalyses carried out beginning at about
was much greaterin the children due to the
smaller size of their glands.
When the exposed Marshallese people were
taken back to their homeislands, they were
exposed to low doses of radiation from residual
fallout. This will be discussed in Chapter V.
received by the people depended upon the
amountsof contaminated food and water con-
tainties in these calculations. The estimated
:
‘Pp e
a
In view of the extensive later development
the original doses estimated to this organ were
presented Table 1. The dose to the thyroid gland
Table 1
Dose Estimates
(rad)*
sy
yo
some
.
nena
Group’’* ay, | Ae. a ukteany
Rongelap, ty ts ARET TS:
(G7 people) 5
t.
> »
feraae, Sie 7
¥a reer re
Oe
SS eer AENahind”
Ailingnae
(18 peopie)
1 yr.
9 yr.
Adult
Utirik
(167 people)
1 yr.
9 yr.
Adult
“From Lessard et al. 1985 (A-62)
vr
**Does not inctude external dose
***Includes those exposed in utere.
10
IOGH1bO
;