RADIONUCLIDE CONCENTRATIONS AND DOSE ASSESSMENT OF CISTERN WATER
AND GROUNDWATER AT THE MARSHALL ISLANDS
ABSTRACT
A radiological
1978
to determine
marine
survey
was
conducted
from September
the concentrations of radionuclides
environments
of
Ll
atolls
and
2
Islands,
islands
through November of
in the terrestrial and
in
the
Northern
¥
More
than
70
cistern
and
groundwater
samples
were
collected
atolls; the volume of each sample was between 55 and 100 1.
of
705,
Marshall
in
fallout
cistern
in
wet
water
at
most
deposition.
atolls
Except
concentrations
in cistern water are
concentration
from
everywhere
less
wet
that
for
Bikini
The
the
The concentration
expected
and
in agreement with
deposition.
than the predicted
is
at
from world-wide
Rongelap,
1370,
the average predicted
239+ 240),
concentrations
fallout concentrations except
at
are
Rongelap,
Ailinginae, and Bikini where the measured and predicted concentrations are in
general agreement.
During
the
period
sampled,
most
groundwater
concentrations
were everywhere higher than the concentrations in cistern water.
concentrations of 206, exceeded
and
Ailuk
Ujelang.
but
were
lower
the
than
levels
the
in cisterns
cistern
levels
of
Groundwater
at Rongelap,
at
Utirik,
13766
Likiep,
Wotho,
and
Concentrations of the transuranics in filtered groundwater solution
were everywhere comparable to or less than the concentrations in cistern water.
However,
detected
was a
well
it is difficult to assess the significance of the radionuclides
in groundwater at
simple hole
liners
did
radionuclides
runoff,
and
Therefore,
in
in
not
the
other
the
the different
the ground
extend
water
activity
be
the
of
period may not necessarily reflect
ground
affected
transporting
concentrations
On many
lined with wood,
above
will
atolls.
surface.
by wind,
contaminated
radionuclides
the
metal,
islands,
or concrete.
Most
Concentrations
human
debris
detected
the well
traffic,
into
during
of
surface
the
any
pit.
single
long-term average concentrations or the
concentrations that might be observed if a lined well were extended above the
surface.