Table 17
Summary of Radionuclide Body Burdens of Marshallese, 1961, Obtained by Whole Body Counting
Rongelap
Male
Cs'* (mpC/kg)
Exposed
Unexposed
Av
Zn (mpC/kg)
Exposed
Unexposed
Av
Co* (upC/kg)
Exposed
Unexposed
Av
Female
Age 5-15
Age >15
Age 5-15
Age >15
15.841.28%
15.741.42
t6.02%2.12
14.21.27
16.31.55
15.941.51
11.1+40.95
9.84 +0.90
15.8
14.7
16.2
10.4
1.3140.13
0.048 +0.012
1,300.02
1.430.07
1.70+0.15
1.20+0.08
{.58+90.09
1.31
1.51
1.24
1.42
159
5
152422
161+11.1
159+11.8
127+14.4
13527.3
170+ 18.6
137+8.83
156
159 |
137
139
1.32%0.15
U.S. medical team
1.280,07
0.015 +0.003
6.43 41.39
Ki (g/ kg)
Exposed
Unexposed
Av
2.110.10
2.26226.09
2.07 +0.07
2.13=20.07
2.03+0.05
1.77=20.11
1.53+0.07
1.710.06
2.17
2.11
1.94
1.63
1.72 40.05
3.40=0.89
4.30% 1.42
20.5222.72
20.31.91
9.30% 2.33
8.50 2.00
Li. = 2.06
16.0 1.80
2.00 0.59
10
6
26
13
7
17
20
16
37
20
37
Total residual gamma
activity (cpm/kg)
Exposed
Unexposed
No. of People
Exposed
Unexposed
Total
7
*Standard error of mean.
anid age included for comparison. Almostidentical
amounts of the radionuclide K*° are noted along
with large differences in the Cs'*’ and Zn®levels
between the two subjects. The summary of the
average levels of Cs**’, Zn®*, K*°, and Co® deter-
mined in 1961 for both the exposed and the nonexposed Marshallese, according to age andsex,is
presented in Table 17. The frequency distribution
of values in various groupsis shown in Figure 57.
Appendix 7 contains the individual values for
each subject.
Cesium-137
The mean value for all groups for body burden
of Cs'*? was 13.7 mpC/ke body weight. Although
the mean levels of the exposed areslightly higher
than those of the unexposed groups, the two do not
differ significantly. Variation within any groupis
large, as can be seen from Figure 57 and from the
value of the standard error. As expressed here in
terms of body weight, Cs**’ body burdensin the
groups aged >16 and <16 years do notdiffer
significantly. The mean levels of Cs'*’ in females
tend to be somewhat lower than in males, but the
difference does not appearsignificant (Figure 57).
Zinc-65
Zn®° body burdens per kg body weight appear
to be somewhat lowerin the younger population
group, but again the differences are not statisti-