a
7 Ss
AS
50
.
peut TC
Aaee?
we ane
“4 ot
* RIL te eos moe
vr eRe
he
RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION OF AREAS IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN FROM NUCLEAR TESTS
Table 48 indicates that the average concentration of strontium—-90 in the total food supply
might be less than 360 Sunshine Units. (The
data on land crabs shown in Table 48 are from
the Island of Kabelle which is more heavily
contaminated than the Island of Rongelap).*
Table 48—Estimates of Contamination of the Normal Food Supply of Rongelapese
A
B
1
.
4
DaiLy
INTAKE
Pounbs/
|
PERSON
7
Dav}
Fish 2. 22. - 2-2 ene nen en ee ee ee eee
|
0.36
ATTOWTOOt_ +. -- wee ee ee eee wen nneee
0. 09
Land crabs. . 2.0.22 22 2--e ee oe eee eee eee
+ 0.03
i
Clams......--2--------2--2-eee n-ne eno ce cee eee e eee cette ee
|
Wild birds (muscle). ..--...----.--.---- 12 --- eee ne
|
[|
; \
Ty
|
Coconut meat and milk... .._--...--.-----.-------++- +e --- eee
Bread fruit. ..--.-.-------2---- 202 t eee once eee n eee
Imported:
|
1!
id
Rice... 222-22 eee eee eee eee ee
Flour. .--..-.--2--.---2- 2-22-22 nee ene eee een ce ene cee eee
Canned beef____--....-----.--------- 2220-222 eee eee ene
Mlk... 2.222122. - ee een eee ee eee
|
i
“4
' |
i,
1.22
Pandanus.....-... 2-22 2.22eee-eeeeeeeee ee seen eee voeee eens
Sardines. ...---.- 20-22 eee ee ee ee =
Shoyu... 2.2.20 eee eee ee eee
Coffee... 0.2 ee ee ee eee
TeS_. ee ee eee
0.1
0.09
0.02
0.01
0.1
Cc
Catcium
CONTENT
(gms Ca/gm
wet weight)
BD
Daiiy IxTAKE OF Ca!
(gms)
0. 001
FRACTION
or Tota
Ca INTAKE
0. 56
0.001
E
F
|STRONTIUM-90
CONTENT
ConTEIBUTION To
5Rx
INTAKE
(8. U.)«
6. 645
12
0.16
0. 184
+ 500
4 0, 0006
0. 025
0. 029
250
0.004
0.055
0. 004
0.018
0. 6001
0. 004
0. 0004
0. 0006
~0, 0001
0. 021
5
0. 0046
~0. 045
0.11
7. 26
61.38
40
260
0. 02
0.88
+ © (4000)
~0. 046
Fow
0. 0016
0. 0034
273
692.0
300
0. 063
0. 004
0.003
(Ss. U.)
(CoLUMN
DX E)
(252. 0)
Small
« Average values.
iy:
a!
.
4 These data are from island of Kabelle (no date from island of Rongelap for July 1956 survey). Ceneral contamination of island of Rongclap Is
about one-fifth that of Kabelle. Lagoon water around these islands do not show as great a difference in activity.
* Thesa are land crabs from island of Kabelle. The strontium-90 concentration is higher than from earlier surveys, which 1s contrary to the plant
activity as well as to the soil, and marine life data. (It bas been estimated that about one-third of the intake of crab meat is from ocean crabs which
have very little strontium-90 content.)
4 Estimated.
« An unknown part of this intake may be sea crabs (which contain considerably Jess Sr} but is assumed here to be all land crabs.
|
|
j
i
|
| 4
However,if crabs were eliminated from the diet,
the intake might average about 107 Sunshine
Units. Further, elimination or restriction of the
consumption of pandanus would reduce the
strontium~—90 intake to well under 100 Sunshine
Units.
| |
b. Estimated Future Body Burden of Strontium—
|
i}
.
.
.
Three principal factors are operative in estiwhich is contrary to all other data. Additional surveys should clarify
this point, In any event the land crabs tested are from the island of
Kabelle.
(There were no collections of land crabs made on Rongelap
(2) If the Rongelapese were returned to
their homeisland, their diet would be supplemented by imported (relatively uncontami.
P especially
(
nated) foods,
rice.y Also, the
cisterns
:
would
be
cleaned
out
and
:
refilled
with fresh. water as well as having new
cisterns built.
.
.
.
.
Island during the last survey.) The general contamination on Rongelap
is about one-fifth that of Kabelle. The difference in strontium-90 con-
(3) D espite the wide variances in the data,
analysis of the results from all of the surveys
be expected those on Rongelap Island to be lower than on Kabetle Island.
on the Pacific Islands shows a general decline
wd
—
a
or
2
tent may not be as great as this, but since these are land crabs !t would
a:
i
*There is some doubt concerning the correct strontium-90 activity in
the land crabs, since the values are higher than for previous surveys
Coe
Li
90
e3
:
mating the future body burden of strontium-90
of the Rongelapese:
(1) Although precise values have not been
established, there may be a discriminatory
factor of several between Sr/Ca ratio in the
food supply and that found in the bones.**
7