JULY 1982 FIELD TRIP REPORT
Brookhaven Rational Laboratory has continuously wonitored the radiological status of persons inhabitim areas in the Marshall Islands which were
contaminated by fallout from Pacific mclear testing.
As part of this
monitoring a whole-body counting, urine, breast milk, and fecal sampling
program was perforaed during July 1982.
Bioesay data were obtained (see Table
Ose) fram the residents of Rongelap Atoll, the former residents of Bikini
Atoll and from wmaffected individusls at Majuro Atoll who wlunteered to be
part of a comparison population.
‘Ef fective dose equivalent assessments for
inbabitants of this region are to be made based on these data and prior
we asurements.
The attached computer printout forms contain the directly measured bodyburden data for Cs-137, K 39-1, Con60 ard 31-207 obtained in July 1982.
Bistoric body burdens of gamma-enitting nuclides are also included.
.
Par-
ticipants in the whole-body counting progras included persons above five years
of age.
Gasca exitters were detected by using a chair-geonetry whole-body
counter, @ capputer=-based multichannel analyzer, and a Sodium Iodide detector.
‘The spectra fros the whole-body counting measurements were stored on magnetic
disks ard 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 werified and were entered”
doto the computerized body-burden data base.
The tables showing individual
body burdens were generated fram this data base,
teplicace counting,
point-source counting, background measurezents and other quality control
measures were made to ensure proper calibration of the systex, ami to
facilitate the interpretation of spectra.
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