44
environment and madelittle or no effort to avoid
inhaling the radioactive material or ingesting it in
Ne
T
——1
Oo
i
o
7
PERCENT
FEMALES
INTERMEDIATE
——_
?
T
T
?
SS
++ ++"+4
—t.
nm
7
oO
o
:
PERCENT
MALES
|
POSITIVE
1
40
45
50 55
60 65 70
75 80
85
1
1
—
90 95 100 105
TIME IN MINUTES
Figure 48. Percent distribution of glucose-6-phosphate
dehydrogenase deficiency in males and females (percent
of persons versus decolorization time).
relatively high BAIB values, which suggest that
there may be an Asian focus for the high BAIB
excretor gene.
Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase Determination. One male ( #11) decolorized at 102 min
and wasclassified as positive; three females (718,
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 con-
clusions to be drawn, and it is important that these
results be confirmed on subsequent visits, particularly with tests done in the field in order to
eliminate the possibility of sample deterioration
during transport.
their food and water. The resulting internal radioactive contamination wasreflected bysignificant
levels of activity in their urine detected by radiochemical analysis. 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 homeisland, since the level of contamination there was very low.
The initial body burdensof internal emitters
were estimated from data obtained by radiochemi-
cal analysis of the tissues of pigs which had been
simultaneously exposed, and also from a comparison of human and animalurinalysis data.** The
mean body burden at one day was estimated (in
pC) as Sr8*. 1.6; Ba'*°, 2.7; I'3', 6.4, and the rare
earth group together, 1.2. The contribution ofthis
amount of internal contamination is small compared to the 175 r external gammadosereceived.
In the first few months foilowing this acute expo-
sure, Sr** and I'*! (plus the shorter-lived iodine
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, I’**, I'**, 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 National Laboratory, and gammaspec-
trographic analyses were carried out in a whole-
body counter. Distinct photopeaksindicating the
presence of significant levels of Cs'*? and Zn°°
were detected in the spectra of exposed Rongelap
people and the unexposed subject.*°* This experi-
ence demonstrated thefeasibility of using in vivo
whole-body counting techniques for estimating
INTRODUCTION
In considering the evaluation ofthe radionuclide
body burden of the Rongelap people,the follow-
ing facts should be kept in mind. During the two
days that the people remained ontheisland after
the fallout occurred in 1954 (prior to their evacuation), they lived in a radioactively contaminated
body burdensin these people. In the following
year, 1958, a “portable” steel room and a whole-
body gamma spectrometer were constructed at
Brookhaven National Laboratory which could be
transported to the Marshall Islandsfor use in fur-
ther studies.
In July 1957, after careful radiological surveys
which showed theisland of Rongelap to besafe
for habitation, the people were returned and
settled in a completely new village which had
been constructed for them. Low levels of contamination persisted on the island, which havesince
r——4
Radionuclide Body Burden
Evaluation