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JULY 1982 FIELD TRIP REPORT
Brookhaven National Laboratory has continuously monitored the radiological status of persons inhabiting areas in the Marshall Islands which were
contaminated by fallout from Pacific nuclear testing, As part of this
monitoring a whole-body counting, urine, breast milk, and fecal sampling
program was performed,during July 1982.

Biossay &ta

were obtained (see Table

One) from the residents of Rongelap Atoll, the former residents of Bikini
Atoll and from unaffected individuals at Majuro Atoll who volunteered to be
part of a comparison population.’ Effective dose equivalent assessments for
inhabitants of this region are to be made based on these data and prior
measurements.
The attached computer printout forms contain the directly measured bodyburden &ta

for CS-137, K 39-41, CO-60 and Bi-207 obtained in July 1982.

Historic body burdens of gamma-emitting nuclides are also included.

Par-

ticipants in the whole-body counting program included persons above five years
of age.

Gamma emitters were detected by using a chair-geometry whole-body

counter, a computer-based multichannel.analyzer, and a Sodium Iodide detector.
The spectra from the whole-body counting measurements were stored on magnetic
disks and are retained at the Laboratory. A complete body-burden history was
given to each person after verification of the current whole-body count.
Whole-body counting results from this trip have been verified and were entered
into the computerized body-burden data base.

The tables showing individual

body burdens were generated from this data base.

Replicate counting,

point-source counting, background measurements and other quality control
. measures were made to ensure proper calibration of the system, and to
facilitate the interpretation”of spectra.

F

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