ground water on Bikini Atoll contaminated with cesium-137, and to a
lesser extent, strontium-90. Plans currently are underway for the
clean-up and resettlement of the atoll by removal of approximately the
upper 30 cm of soil. Any large-scale resettlement program must include
provisions for water supply. This will be achieved principally
by
catchment and storage of rain water, however, since rainfall in Bikini
is highly seasonal and droughts occur frequently, ground water
development must also be considered. The quantity of potable ground
water that can be developed is limited by its salinity and radiological
quality. The few ground water samples available from Bikini, which have
been collected from only about the top meter of the groundwater body,
indicate that small bodies of potable ground water exist on Bikini and
Eneu, the two principal living islands, but that cesium and strontium
in the Bikioni ground water exceed drinking water standards. In order
to make a reasonable estimate of the ground water development potential
for the atoll, some 40 test boreholes will be drilled during
July/August 1985, and a program of water quality monitoring initiated.
This paper will describe preliminary results of the drilling and
monitoring work.

Major Descriptors: *AQUIFERS ~- HYDROLOGY; *AQUIFERS -- RADIONUCLIDE
MIGRATION; *GROUND WATER -- CONTAMINATION; *GROUND WATER -- RESOURCE
DEVELOPMENT; *ISLANDS ~-- AQUIFERS; *ISLANDS -- GROUND WATER
Descriptors: .CESIUM 137; LAND POLLUTION; LAND RECLAMATION; MONITORING;
RADIATION HAZARDS; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; RESOURCE POTENTIAL; SOILS;
STRONTIUM 90; WATER POLLUTION; WATER RECLAMATION; WATER RESOURCES;
WATER SUPPLY
Broader Terms: ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES; ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES; BETA DECAY
RADIOISOTOPES; BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES; CESIUM ISOTOPES;
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI; HAZARDS; HEALTH HAZARDS;
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI; ISOTOPES; MASS TRANSFER;
MATERIALS; NUCLEI; ODD-EVEN NUCLEI; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; POLLUTION;
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS; RADIOISOTOPES; RESOURCES; STRONTIUM ISOTOPES;
WASTES; WATER; YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES

Subject Categories: 520300*
-- Environment, Aquatic -- Radioactive
Materials Monitoring & Transport -- (1989)

INIS Subject Categories: B3200*
10/5/384

02293028

Author(s):

-- Water

(Item 84 from file:

103)

BRA-14-017157; EDB-89-038765
Robison,

W.L.;

Conrado,

C.L.;

Stuart,

M.L.

Title: Radiological conditions at Bikini Atoll: Radionuclide concentrations
in vegetation, soil, animals, cistern water, and ground water
Corporate Source:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
Publication Date: 31 May 1988
p 246
Report Number(s):

Order Number:

UCRL-53840

DE89007683

Contract Number

(DOE):

W-7405~ENG-48

~

Note: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
Document Type: Report
Language: English
Journal Announcement: ETD8900
Subfile:

ETD

1.

(Energy Technology Data Exchange); NTS

Research Abstracts).

TIC

(Technical

Country of Origin: United States

(NTIS);

Information Center)

ERA

(Energy

Country of Publication: United States
Abstract: This report is intended as a resource document for the eventual
cleanup of Bikini Atoll and contains a summary of the data for the

concentrations of /sup 137/Cs,

/sup 90/Sr,

Bikini,

island,

/sup 239 +240/Pu,

and /sup

241/Am in vegetation through 1987 and in soil through 1985 for 14
islands at Bikini Atoll. The data for the main residence island,
and the most

important

Eneu,

are extensive;

these

islands have been the subject of a continuing research and monitoring
program since 1974. Data for radionuclide concentrations in ground
water, cistern water, fish and other marine species, and pigs from
Mitt

neh A

DR eee

TRI RRA AN

AeA

Rem eantaA

Alen

aneluded

are

caeneral

2003716

Availability: NTIS, PC All/MF AOl - OSTI;

Select target paragraph3