soil of each radionuclide on the island. The concentration ratios of each radionuclide in each food
were developed from data obtained from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) test plots
on Janet Island at Enewetak Atoll and Eneu Island at Bikini Atoll, and from coconut, breadfruit and
Pandanus trees planted on Bikini Atoll in 1970 by the Trust Territory Government. When sufficient
data were collected to ensure confidence in the concentration ratios of each radionuclide in each
food, the concentration ratio could be mulitiplied by the average concentration in the soil on each
island to predict the radionuclide concentration in a specific food item on that island. For example,
the concentration ratio of !8%Cs in coconut meat is 6 in the 0-40 em soil profile encompassing the

root zone. The average concentration of 137Cs in the 0-40 em profile on Janet Island is 12 pCi/g;
thus the estimated average concentration of 137Cs in coconut meat of trees growing on Janet Island

is predicted to be about 72 pCi/g.

This approach was used almost exclusively in the entire assessment for Enewetak Atoll and therefore

required a very detailed analysis of the concentration of radionuclides in the soil on each of the
islands after the cleanup project.
6.11.2 Significant Radionuclides and Exposure Pathways

The most significant radionuclides in order of the magnitude of their contribution to the total
estimated dose are given in Table 6-7.
The exposure pathways in the order of the magnitude of their contribution to the total estimated

dose are:

Terrestrial foodechain

External gamma radiation
Marine foodchain
Inhalation

Drinking water

TABLE 6-7. RADIONUCLIDES CONTRIBUTING TO THE ESTIMATED DOSE OF
RADIOACTIVITY TO THE POPULATION ON ENEWETAK ATOLL
THROUGH LOCALLY GROWN CROPS
Radionuclide*

Half Life, y

137C¢

30.9

905,
60Co

29.12
5.27

239,240py

24,000

24lam

432.2

*Radionuclides are listed in the order of the magnitude of their contribution, as of 1980.
The most significant radionuclide is 137Cs because it constitutes a considerable part of the total
estimated dose in both the terrestrial and external gamma pathways. Strontium-90 is a major
component of the radiological dose through the ingestion pathway but most of the contribution from
60Co is through external gamma exposure. The transuranic radionuclides will contribute very little

to the total dose over the next few decades; the exposure will be primarily through the inhalation
pathway by resuspension processes and secondarily through the marine pathway.

The potential

re

exposure to transuranic elementsis long term, but the estimated doses are very small.

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