an estimated body burden of 6.9 muC as com-
pared to 6.0 muC estimatedin 1959.
Wide variation was found in the individual *24hour” urine samples collected and analyzed individually (Table 18). The average Sr“ excreted
was 159 wuC Sr” ’g Ca tor the children as com-
Table 18
Urinary Sr" Values in Marshallese. 1961
Subject
No.
sr",
uuC |
Ca,
g,|
Sr
uu
pared to 30.9 for the mean adult population.
Adult women appeared to have higher Sr” Ca
ratios than men. However. in terms of urinary
Sr'' (upC 1), the value was 2.3 for women com-
pared to +.5 for men. This difference was similar
to that observed in 1959. With the small sample
size and the wide spread in values in anvsingle
group, it is not possible to detect anysignificant
difference between the exposed and unexposed
Rongelap Exposed
Maies, Age 1-13 (No Females)
23
24)
bu
32.3
U.6
6.8
3.3
0.150
0.028
0.05-4
U.O12
Jib
a)
lly
36
3.6
0.044
127
9.8
0.038
14a
Males. Age >> 15
+0
11.6
4.0
27
t
3.8
7
1.+
0.440
O.149
O.193
0.208
ah
ah
WI
ny
0.3
7
429
0.098
”
:
4.5
0.253
2.
Females. Age >15
45
Rs)
0.028
ty 4
47
Av
Rongelap groups.
Two coconut crabs were brought back from the
survey and analyzed for Sr’’. One from Rongelap
Island had a level of 1140 (= 12) upSr g Ca,
and one from the more heavily exposed island of
Eniaetok, 8 miles north, had a level of 3900 ( 23)
upC Sr'g Ca. These values were about halfthose
found in these crabs in the early vears after the
fallout.
One 3-month fetus, the product of a miscarriage
ina Rongelap woman, wasalso analyzed and
showed level of 25 (20) puC Sr°", g Ca. How-
ever, the sample was so small that the results are
oflittle significance.*
Figure 58 showsthe levels of radionuclides in
the Rongelap people at various times after expo-
40)
41
Av
59
2.0
QO.101
14
66
12
+7
0.7
0.063
0.043
|:
2.3
0.059
bi
Av
Rongelap Unexposed
sure, based on radiochemical urine analyses and
spectrographic determinations.
DISCUSSION
It is interesting that no significant differences
were observed in the body burdens of the four
gamma-emitting radioisotopes measured in the
1961 whole-body spectrographic study between
the groups of Marshallese exposed to fallout in
the 195+ accident and unexposed groups who have
been living in the same environmentfor the last 4
years. The original contamination of these gamma
emitters in the exposed population has already
been eliminated, and what is observed in this
studyis the radioactivity derived from theslightly
contaminated environment.
*We wish to thank Mr. E.P. Hardy. Jr.. Health and Safety
Laboratory, New York Operations Office. AEC, for carrving out
these Sr’ anaivses.
wi
Males, Age 1-15 (No Females}
822
2.6
Males. Age >15 (No Females)
944
L.4
838
3.3
838
3.1
Av
2.7
0.030
Aa
0.182
0.210
m
rs
0.202
-
0.215
Lt
Analyses of Pooled Specimen (20.8 |)
Sample
Se’, wu,|
Ca, mg/l
Sr", uu
|
7.2
145
qui
2
3
6.4
6.8
149
142
Fal
tin
6
8.3
4
3
Av
7.2
7.0
141
131
Wh
344
7.20.4
14144
BO
139
out