v7
EYrecTs OF WOTEING RABtATION
Tabie 3.2.—Samennry of Meee Urine Anstyen, Goon Some Activicy
{es ony
Tan Pen
Th Veer
Raveerw
1% Meawe
Be
we
—_—
:
re
Yarus
} Mower
;
oe
‘Ram Ba
Ne
-
jUVmss
‘a
-
Coe eee
Soe
we
3 ane
we
jVarse
os
Ne
wa 38 ome
-
ee
-
6 Move
Vultue
‘eam
oe
-
me
7s
Rengeiep
Age in ware
&:°.S)
Bee
C (>
7
th
al
1a
+e
S61
=
7
1308
0
nZe
rm
1
a9
=
&
12
33
228
510
ons
12
3
0
3
12
460
685
0
0
Ailiaqpnee
Age in years
A (<8)
B (3-16)
C (> 16)
American
|
en
/
|
2
10
376
«6722
28
1188
eeae
138,
88S |
|
aC
|
|
|
|
\
All values corrected for decay.
highest activity was in the Rongelap group
(Table 5.2).
The \ilinginae group had lees
than half that of the Rongelap group, and the
Americans had about one-quarter the activity
of the Rongelap group.
The mean grow beta activity of the urine of
the three groups above was roughly propor-
tional te the external dose each group received.
However, a comparison of the mean beta activity of the urine of Ailinginrge and American
groupe indicated that the latter had « somewhat
lower amount of internal contamination, even
though both proups received about the same external dose. This may be accounted for by the
fact that the Adlingimae group drank contaminated water from open containers and ate contamineted food up to the time of evaenation,
whereas the Amerious miaested much less con-
taniinaterd food and water, since beth were
largely stored in closed contarmers. Padoectrination of the Amenecans concerning radiation
hazards probably was alse a factor in reducing
the amount of contamimation which they received,
The variation of gross activity among the
Individuals mn any of the three groups ix quite
large (Tables 5.3 and 5.4). This is chiefly the
result of variations in the quantity of water
and both the kind and quantity of food ingested. The degree of exposure of the individual to air-borne activity is also a factor in
determining the individual degree of contamination. While there were large variations
among individuals, the day-to-day levels of activity for each individual were fairly consistent.
Further information on the source of inthividual variations was obtained by grouping
the individuals from the Rongelap and Ailinginae groups according to age (Tables 5-5 and
3.4). While the activity excreted per unit vol-
tiie of urine is about the same for both children
wd adults, the mean activity of the urine exereted in 24 hours by children under 15 yvesrs
Was significantly lower than that excreted by
adults. The data avatlable do not indicate
dehnitely whether the lower total excretion
Wudicates a snintler total body burden in’ the
children resulting: from lower inhalation and
Inyestion, or whether it represents « higher devree of fixation of the radio-elements by growing bone.