Naidu et al., 1980). The relative difference in
intake between the 1.5-y to 3-y age group and
adults is nearly the same for both major diet
surveys (Robison etal., 1980; Naidu etal., 1980).
Infant/Child (9 monthsto 1.4 y)
Both breast-fed and bottle-fed infants,
starting around 9 months,occasionally are given
small amounts of soft crab, fish, breadfruit,
papaya, and pumpkin (Marsh, 1973; Pollock,
1974; Hinshaw, 1988). These additional local
foods would probably be no more than 20% of the
adult intake.
Infants (4 to 8 months)
The diet of infants 4 to 8 months old in the
Marshall Islands varies depending on a
mother's preference and the mixture of locally
grown and imported foods applicable to a
specific atoll. In general, however, infants are
usually breast-fed for the first 12 to 18 months,
and sometimes for as long as 2 years (Marsh,
1973; Pollock, 1974; Flaherty, 1988; Hinshaw,
1988). Bottle-fed babies occasionally are given
coconut fluid or milk if formula becomes scarce
and breast-fed babies may also be given small
quantities of coconut milk.
In summary, the infant (4 to 8 months) diet
in the Marshall Islands consists primarily of
Radionuclide Concentrations in Local
Foods at Rongelap Island
The concentrations of radionuclides in foods
at Rongelap Island at Rongelap Atoll are listed
in Table A-1.
The listed concentrations are from the
Northern Marshall Islands Radiological Survey
completed in 1978 and additional sampling done
by LLNL in 1985 and 1986.
Intake of 9°Sr and 13’Cs from Ingestion
of Local Foods
Strontium-90
NewborivFetus. Work conducted during the
height of the atmospheric nuclear testing
program, when 906; in milk was of concern,
indicates that the OR"72E= - 0.5, where
the OR is a term coined by Comaretal. (1956),
andis defined as the ratio of the pCi 9°Sr per g
of calcium in a target organ divided by the pCi
90Sr per g of calcium in a reference source. In
other words, the discrimination against
strontium compared to calcium across the
placental barrier is about a factor of 2 (Bryant
and Loutit, 1964; Comaret al., 1965; Kawamura
milk either by breast-feeding or bottle-feeding
et al., 1986; Tanaka et al., 1981). Furthermore,
milk or coconut fluid.
Comar et al., 1965).
Consequently, the
ORS which includes the discrimination
with occasional, small supplements of coconut
Infant (0 to 3 months)
The diet of infants in the Marshall Islands
varies depending on a mother's preference.
Infants are either breast-fed, which is the most
usual case, or they are bottle-fed with formula
and evaporated milk (Marsh, 1973; Pollock,
the ORE = 0.25 (Bryant and Loutit, 1964;
across the placental barrier, is 0.25 x 0.5 = 0.13
(Bryant and Loutit, 1964; Lenihan, 1967; Comar
et al., 1965).
The oR“ of 0.5 means that half as
much 90Sr per g ofcalcium is present in the
newborn/fetus as the adult, and the dose
1974; Flaherty, 1988; Hinshaw, 1988). Our
general observation is that the use of formula
received by the newborn/fetus will be a
combination of this lesser Sr concentration and
increased over the past few years. In either
case, the total diet consists of one or the other
overthefirst 3 to 4 months.
adult.
Infant (0 to 3 months). As was discussed in
wets
~
QT!
Pao
and evaporated milk for feeding infants has
the difference in dosimetry for a fetus versus an
the diet section, the major source of food for