20
USE OF A PORTABLE WHOLE-BODY COUNTER
Table 2. Summary of Marshall Islanders body burden—1961
Rongelap
Male
Female
U.S. Medical
Years
Years
Team
5-15
Cs!8?7—nc/ke:
exposed
unexposed
Zn*—ne/ke:
exposed
unexposed
Co®—pe/kg:
exposed
unexposed
K*°__g/kg:
exposed
unexposed
Total residual
activity
cpm/kg:
exposed
unexposed
No. of people
exposed
unexposed
Total
158
15.7
15.8
+
+
131 +
1.30 --
1.31
159
[52
156
>15
1.28*
1.42
0.13
0.02
4+. 14.5
+ 22.6
2.11 +
2.26 +
0.10
0.09
5.40 +
4.50 +
0.89
1.42
2.17
160
14.2
5-15
4 2.12
+
1.27
1.70 +
1.43 4
0.15
14.7
1.51
161
159
159
+ 11.1
+ 11.8
2.11
+
+
15.9
16.2
+
+
1.20 +
1.32 4+
1.24
.07 + 0.07
2.13 + 0.07
20.5
20.3
16.3
2.72
1.91
127
155
137
>15
1.55
1.51
0.08
0.15
+144
+ 27.3
2.03 + 0.05
177+ 0.11
1.94
9.30 + 2.53
8.50 + 2.00
1t.1
+ 0.95
9.84 +
0.90
0.048 + 0.012
1.58 +
1.28 +
0.69
0.07
0.015 + 0.003
10.4
1.4
170
137
+ 18.6
+ 883
643
4+ 1.39
1.53 + 0.07
1.71 4+ 0.06
£1.72
4+ 0.05
2,00
+0,59
139
1.63
19.8
18.0
10
6
11
26
13
7
17
20
16
37
20
37
+ 2.06
+ 1.80
7
*Standard error of mean.
we observe in this study is the radioactivity
derived from the slightly contaminated environment.
The
levels
of radioactive
contamination
appeared to be about the same for juveniles as
for adults, for men as for women. Factors of age
and sex apparently do not influencesignificantly
the deposition of these radionuclides. Wide
variations in the level of contamination appear
among individuals of all groups, as might be
expected where the source of the contamination
is via ingestion. Even with a fairly limited diet,
individual tastes may dictate great differences in
the food consumed.
As for the time course of the contamination in
the population as a whole, it is necessary to
consider
each
radioisotope
individually,
as
source of supply and discrimination of thesoil,
plant and animal life, and the human body
differ for each isotope.
The mean Cs!87 body burden of the Rongelap
adult males is 14.7 nc/kg as compared to 14.1
nc/kg in 1959. Thus, no significant change has
occurred in the past two years. The high Cs!87
body burdens of the Marshallese result from the
high dietary intake through foodstuffs produced
in the Marshallese environment. They reflect
the level of residual fallout on the island, and