The elevation of Ce-137 in the Romelap population indicates inpreased
use of the porthern islands and the potential body burden fron this source may
be enticipeted to rise over the sext eeveral years.
At Rougelap Atoll, the
aotthars (eland Been is some 20 to 30 times more contaminated with Cs-137
relative to the inbabited southern telend, Rongelap.
The mean exposure rate
at Meer Island is currently similar to that obeerved at Rongelap Island
shortly after rehabi tation in 1957.
Assuming the wlikely event of heavy
Gependence on the northern islands for food, one might anticipate the adult
mean body burdens rising to about 18KBq (0.5 wCi) ower the next year or so.
maximum of 53KBq (1.5 wCi) might be anticipeted in any single indiviudal.
A
It
is more probable that the eastern, southern and northeastern islands will con
tinue to be used for food production and if the northern islands are included,
the overall result may be an increase in the adult mean body burden to perhaps
11KBq (0.3 vCi).
These estimates on the future adult body burdens of Cs-137
are based on extrapolation of direct body burden seasurements.
This method is
mot wery accurate beyond about a year after the last measurement and is sub-
Sect to wariation which is directly related to the daily intake of radioactive
material.
" Tables Six and Seven contain quality control results related to the
precision and accuracy of the whole-body counting system.
The accuracy of the
whole-body count for Cs-137 was estinated to be about plus or mims 102 based
on point source counting.
Teplicate couts.
The precision was within plus or minus 102 based on
Whole body counts for Cs-137 above the ninimm detection
limit and for E39-41 were used to estisate precision (see Table Seven).
The
Comperison between results fram system one or system two was also determined’
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