SLIDE 44
Environmental levels of radioactivity.
BNL personnel commenced limited
environmental monitoring of the Marshall Islands for radioactivity in April
1974,
Since then, members of the staff have made a number of field trips to
the Marshall Islands to collect a representative cross-section of vegetation,
animals, fruits, soil and water found on the inhabited islands for the purpose
of assessing the activity intake by people.
The surveys covered Kwajalein, Wotho, Bikini, Rgngelap.and Bygrik
Atolls.
In general, all samples were analyzed for
“~Sr
Pu,
gamma emitters which may have been present at the time of analysis.
Pu and any
The specife activity per unit dry weight. 9f foods,
rush and soil are
given here.
The predominant activities were
Sr and
Cs.
The activity
ratios between islands were based on thousands of measurements and apply to
all nuclides.
ENVIRONMENTAL LEVELS OF
RADIOACTIVITY MID 1970's
Bq g' Dry Weight
Description
Bikini
Pandanus Fruit
Scaveola Leaves
Soil
Coconut Meat
Sr
py
8.7
3.4
0.019
0.0093
2.0
—_
0.052
—_
BIC,
15
14
2.9
3.5
Activity Ratio
Bikini / Rongelap
Bikini / Utirik
47
4
20
Co
0.61
—
0.048
—_
241 Am
_
_
0.27
—_