{sup 137}Cs exposure in the Marshallese populations: An assessment based on whole-body counting measurements (1989-1994)

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997 · Health Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00004032-199707000-00007· OSTI ID:543356

Sun, L C; Clinton, J H; Kaplan, E ^[1]

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1. Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States); and others

The Marshall Islands were the site of numerous tests of nuclear weapons by the United States. From 1946 to 1958, nuclear devices were detonated at Enemetak and Bikini Atolls. Following the inadvertent contamination of the northern islands downwind of the 1954 Bravo Test, Brookhaven National Laboratory became involved in the medical care and the radiological safety of the affected populations. One important technique employed in assessing the internally deposited radionuclides is whole-body counting. To estimate current and future exposures to 1376, data from 1989 to 1994 were analyzed and are reported in this paper. During this period, 3,618 measurements were made for the Marshallese. The cesium body contents were assumed to result from a series of chronic intakes. Also, it was assumed that cesium activity in the body reaches a plateau that is maintained over 365 d. We estimated the annual effective dose rate for each population, derived from the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. The average {sup 137}Cs uptake measured by the whole-body counting method varies from one population to another; it was consistent with measurements of external exposure rate. The analysis. though based on limited data, indicates that there is no statistical support for a seasonal effect on {sup 137}Cs uptake. The critical population group for cesium uptake is adult males. Within the 5-y monitoring period, all internal exposures to {sup 137}Cs mere less than 0.2 mSv y{sup -1}. Similarly, a persistent average cesium effective dose rate of 2 {mu}Sv y{sup -1} was determined for Majuro residents. 73 refs., 6 figs., 10 tabs.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 543356
• Journal Information: Health Physics, Journal Name: Health Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 73; ISSN HLTPAO; ISSN 0017-9078
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
CESIUM 137
CONTAMINATION
MAN
MARSHALL ISLANDS
RADIATION DOSES
UPTAKE
WHOLE-BODY COUNTING