BNL . é AVI Senet AOLSS7 PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL REMOVED BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES, INC. UPTON, Li, N.Y. 11973 K . MEDICAL DEPARTIAENT TetepHone: (516) 345- 3577 May llth, 1977 Dr. James L. Liverman Assistant Administrator for Environment and SAfety U. S. Energy Research and Development Administration Washington, D. C. 20545 . Dear Jim: In answer to your letter of April Lith, 1977, I would like to bring you up-to-date on the status of the bioassay program on the Bikinians and make a few comments about the TTG ‘report and the program in general. First, I would like to call gamma spectrographic analysis on his group when we were at Bikini increased 10-15 times over those your attention to the results the Bikini people done by Dr. last month. The 137Cs levels of 1974. (See enclosed table Bikini levels with those of Rongelap and Utirik.) the people, of the Cohn and had comparing In discussions with they admitted eating pandanus and breadfruit, even though they. knew they were forbidden fruits. values will also prove to be elevated. No doubt, their urine 90Sr Even though the mean body burdens of 137¢s are only about 1/3rd the MPC for populations (some individuals were at or slightly above the MPC), I think this is a serious finding and merits consideration for positive action ~- perhaps even moving the people or removing the plants. An enclosed table from HASL shows the latest Pu findings on the i Bikini and other groups. You will note that because of the error in counting,only a few samples gave reliable measurements. These appeared to be somewhat lower than previously reported, which may be encouraging. We still have not ruled out the problem of contamination. During the April visit to Rongelap and Bikini, we attempted to collect a number of samples aboard the LCU under “clean' conditions as suggested by the TTG panel. This collection was disappointing since the stay at the islands was not long enough to give an adequate collection. However, other samples were collected which are to be analyzed by HASL. Carboys were also left for long-term collection. JI understand a low-level Pu analysis laboratory is being established here at BNI. In view of the increasing importance of these analyses and increasing numbers of samples indicated, other laboratories which can do this type of analysis are badly needed. ees INFORMATION OPERATOR (SIG) 345-2125 “+ 9OTbESE4 | PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL REMOVED