Field Task Proposal/Agreement: Continuing Marshall Islands Radiological Dose Assessment

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COE Furm 5120.2 U.S. DEPARTt4ENT OF ENERGY ~. WP BIN NUMBER 2. TASK 3. REV. 4. f’ROJECT NO. 5. OATE PREPARED 6. CONTRACTOR NUMBER NO. NO. (m ddlyj) Continuing Marshall Islands Radiological Dose Assessment 8. WORK PACKAGE TITLE 9. DUDGET ANO REPORTING COOE 10. TASK TERtl Il. CONTRACTOR NAME HA–02-01-02-E) Begin: 10/01/77 End: open UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA IL. PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS LAWRENCE LIVERMORE LABORATORY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 6. Does this task inc ude TASK DESCRIPTION (Approach, relation to lwrk package, in 200 mrds or less) The radiological consequences of resettling atolls in the Northern Marshall Islands will be assessed. Doses will be calculated for each exposure pathway and for several alternate living patterns for the various atolls. Special attention will be given to Blki.ni and Enewetak Atolls. Data from the surveys, latest results from continuing research programs, and updated information on diet and alternate living patterns will be used with the latest dose models to calculate bone and whole body doses via ingestion and inhalation. Doses from all pathways, including external exposure, will be summed to determine the predicted maximum annual dose rates and the integrated 30–, 50-, and 70-year doses to populations resettling the atolls. q a. Facl I Ity Requirements @d. Background

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20. STAFFING (in staff yrs) 21. OBLIGATIONS AND COSTS fi. OPTIONAL FIVE-YEAR PLAN Constant BY dollars TASK REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATING/EQUIPt4ENT COSTS AND OBLIGATIONS TASK NO. REV. NO. DATE PREPAREO

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This is a continuing project. of Potential Doses to Populations from the Transuranic Radionuclides at Enewetak Atoll, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Livermore, CA, uCP&-52666 (1978). Fiscal Year 1980 – First Quarter C.L. Conrador Preliminary Reassessment of the Potential Radiological Doses for Residents Resettling Enewetak Atoll, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Livermore, CA, uCID-18219 Weapons testing in the Marshall Islands has resulted in residual radiological contamination on some atolls. The objective of this program is to assess radiological doses at Bikini, Enewetak, and other northern Marshall Islands atolls for each exposure pathway for alternate living patterns. These assessments will provide a basis for decisions on resettlement options. From 1947 through 1958 the evacuated Enewetak and Bikini Atolls in the northern Marshall Islands served as the U.S. nuclear proving grounds. In 1969 a limited clean–up and an initial phase of housing construction was begun at Bikini Atoll with the subsequent return of some of the Bikini people to Bikini Island. In 1972, the Enewetak people requested that they be allowed to return to Enewetak Atoll; a major survey and assessment program was undertaken to evaluate the radiological consequences of such resettlement. The conclusions were that the northern half of Enewetak Atoll was not suitable for resettlement and that terrestrial focal chains were potentially the most critical radiological dose pathway. In 1975 during evaluation of plans for a second phase of housing construction on Bikini Atoll, it was decided that a more detailed survey of Bikini and Eneu Islands was needed. The results of this survey indicated that people residing on Bikini Atoll would receive doses exceeding the U.S.

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federal guidelines (l). The apparent conflict between the restrictions indicated by this outcome and the strong desire of the people to resettle Bikini and Eneu Islands has created the need for more detailed and refined assessments addressing options at both It was also decided that prior to the end of the Trust Territory Agreement the U.S. should evaluate the radiological conditions of all “of the northern Marshall Islands Atolls downwind of the Pacific proving grounds. The field program was conducted from September through November 1978. Assessing the very large bcdy of data produced will take the next two years. Assessment at Bikini Atoll, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, A data bank of radionuclide concentrations developed from continuing research and survey programs will be maintained. These data will be used in conjunction with models for predictin and other selected radionuclides. AS an example, the latest lung model from the International Commission on Radiological protection is used to develop dose estimates to lung and bone via the inhalation pathway. Whole body 137CS dose calculations are based on the two-component retention models developed by the ICRP for 137cs b&y burdens. The n’ost recent publications by Spiers, et al. (2) on ‘OSr distribution in—— bone are used to predict bone doses from 90Sr. In addition, information on diet and land use associated with alternate living patterns will be developed for each atoll under consideration to complete the dose assessments. 2. A Report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation to the General Assembly, Ionizing Radiation: Levels and Effect (United Nations, New

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A preliminary reassessment of the potential doses to a population living on Eneu and Bikini Islands was completed. It included evaluation of external gamma exposure using recent data obtained in the Multi-Atoll Survey, evaluation of the terrestrial food-chain using data recently developed from the Eneu test plots, evaluation Of the inhalation doses, and reevaluation of the marine food-chain. Annual doses predicted for Eneu Island are less than the 500 mrem per year federal guidance; predicted doses for Bikini Island are twice that recommended in the guidelines when imported foods are available and four times that recommended when imported foods are unavailable. A complete reassessment of of the radiological situation of Enjebi Island at Enewetak Atoll was made and will form the basis for decisions concerning immediate and longer-range use of this major residence island. The assessment included evaluating doses from all Average bone marrow and whole body doses for Enjebi Island if imported foods are available are abcut half the federal guidance of 500 mrem per year; if imported foods are unavailable the predicted doses are right at federal guidance. Predicted doses for living patterns on other islands at Enewetak Atoll are less than those predicted for Enjebi Island. An assessment of the northern half of Enewetak Atoll will be completed. This will include evaluating alternate living patterns using the northern islands and evaluating use of coconuts planted on the northern islands. A dose assessment of the marine pathway will be completed for 13 atolls and islands visited during the survey. Also an evaluation of groundwater and drinking water will be completed on those atolls where samples were obtained. lie will give top priority to processing and analyzing samples from Bikini and Rongelap Atolls. Data from both atolls will be available during this year to complete the radiological dose assessments, including all expsure pathways for all radionuclides. The Bikini assessment will also include alternate living patterns involving Eneu and Bikini Islands. We will continue to develop the Marshall Islands data bank and add new data from the ongoing environmental research projects. A part of this effort will include formatting the data base such that data from other DOE studies in the Marshall Islands may be included at some future time.

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Assessments of all atolls surveyed in the Multi–Atoll Survey will be completed during this year. Uterik Atoll will be addressed on a priority basis with the assessment being published as soon as Enewetak Atoll will also be considered on a separate basis because of the unique nature of the atoll. Further assessments will be conducted to evaluate alternate living patterns at the atoll and the potential use of crops for commercial purposes. It is anticipated that assessments of the other atolls will probably be reported in a single document. Although they cannot be precisely identified at the present time, requests from IX)E and other agencies for additional radiological assessments of the Marshall Islands are anticipated. The necessary data bases and expertise will be maintained to facilitate response. Continuing assessments will probably be required at both Bikini and Enewetak Atolls. The need for additional assessments of other atol.Ls or other Marshall Islands situations will undoubtedly occur in the future. Although these needs cannot yet be precisely identified, we will maintain the necessary data bases and expertise to respond and develop assessments. The radiological dose assessments developed in this activity will provide a basis for decisions on resettlement options at Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap, and other atolls in the northern Marshall Islands. h. Relationships to other projects This project is very closely related to, and in fact depends on, other projects such as “The Northen Marshall Islands Multi-Atoll “Biogeochemical Cycling of the Transuranics and Other Radionuclides in the Marshall Islands,” (5120.2 No. LLIJEv-82-35) , and the ongoing IME support of the Enewetak Radiological Clean–up Program. ]. Explanation of Milestones

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WP BIN NUMBER 2. TASK 3. REV. 14. PROJECT NO. 5. DATE PREPARED 6 Marshall Islands Data Bank i.lUOGET AND REPORTING CODE 10. TASK TERM LAWRENCE LIVERMORI LABORATORY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 17. TASK DESCRIPTION (Approach, relation to vork package, in 11. CONTRACTOR NAME 12. COOE UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA 16. Ooes this task include 200 ucrds or less) An existing data bank at LLL will be expanded to include all available data related to radiological evaluations of the Marshall Islands. Included will be external gamma measurements , radionuclide concentrations (soil, vegetation, animal, water, and air) , and environmental parameters (rainfall, evaporation rate, soil moisture, windspeed, etc.) . ~1 available data taken before, during, and after the testing period will be included. Indicative data for retrieval will Include radionuclide, location, data source, sample type, analytical method, and date. Also being considered for inclusion The objective is to have a single data management system from which the total body of radiological and related data gathered and to be gathered over the years will be readily accessible. This will facilitate present and future evaluation and assessments related to radiological condition in the Marshall Islands environment. This task is closely related to the tasks, “Continuing Marshall Islands Dose 5120.2 No. LLL/EV-82-13, “Marshall Islands Radioecology Studies for Dose Evaluation”, 5120.2 No. LLL/Ev-82-46, and ‘Biogeochemical Cycling of Transuranics and Other Radionuclides in the Marshall Islands”, 5120.2 No. LLL/EV–82–35. Ml data from the latter three tasks are being entered in an existing LLL data bank for use in conducting the assessments and evaluation required in the first task. ~. CONTRACTOR TASK MANAGER

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TASK REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATING/EQUIPMENT COSTS AND OBLIGATIONS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ITASK No. ] REV. NO. ] OATE PREPARED 21. OBLIGATIONS AND COSTS Constant BY dollars 25. MILESTONE SCHEDULE PROPOSED SCHEDULE AUTHORIZE SCHEDULE

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This is a new project. The purpose of this task is to corrpile and store in a centralized data bank all available radiological and related data obtained in the Marshall Islands before, during, and after the U.S. nuclear testing prOgram. This will facilitate and expedite assessment activities that heretofore were impossible or required inordinate efforts to compile pertinent information. From 1947 through 1958 nuclear tests were conducted by the U.S. at Enewetak and Bikini Atolls in the Northern Marshall Islands after inhabitants were evacuated. In 1969, a limited clean-up and an initial phase of housing construction was begun at Bikini Atoll, with some Bikini people resettled on Bikini Island. In 1972, the Enewetak people requested that they be allowed to return to Enewetak Atoll; a major survey and assessment program was undertaken to evaluate the radiological consequences of such a resettlement. The general conclusions were that the northern half of Enewetak Atoll was not suitable for resettlement and that terrestrial food chains were potentially the nmst critical radiological dose pathway. In 1975, in evaluating plans to start a second phase of housing construction on Bikini Atoll, it was decided to first conduct a more detailed survey of Bikini and Eneu Islands. The results of this survey indicated that people residing on Bikini Atoll would receive doses exceeding the U.S. federal guidelines (l). The apparent conflict between recommendations dictated by these assessments and the desire of the Bikini people to resettle Bikini and Eneu Islands pint out the need for more detailed and refined assessments of both islands. In 1978, the decision was made that before the end of the Trust Territory Agreement the U.S. should evaluate the radiological conditions of all of the northern Mrshall Islands Atolls downwind of the Pacific Proving Grounds. The field study, conducted from September 1978 through November 1979, and subsequent analyses of collected samples have produced the very large body of data needed for the radiological assessments.

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In addition, various studies have been conducted in the area by other groups; however, no attempt has ever been made to gather all of the available information into one data management system where it would be readily available and accessible for assessment activities. Each sample is assigned an ID number in the sample processing laboratory. Using this ID as a key, two files are created. !rhe first is a cross reference file that links the sample with descriptive material such as soil-profile increment, species, etc. The second file contains the analytical data from the counting Sample data may be from other than current surveys and programs. Published data not available on tape or cards will be key-punched and entered into the system manually. After files are created, a Livermore data base system (1) is used to access any desired sample information. Data may be retrieved by location, date, type or any combination derived from these or other attributes stored in the cross reference file. 1. S.E. Jones and D.R. Rices, A Relational Data Base Management System for Scientific Data, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, New project; program outlined to begin in 1981 could begin in 1980 if funding were available. A data bank has been developed for our continuing studies at bth Enewetak and Bikini Atolls. In addition, the data obtained from the Multi-Atoll Survey is being incorporated into this data management system. This system will serve as the basis for incorporating all previous and future data from the Marshall Islands. We would like to begin this year to expand and develop the refinements in our current data management system so it can handle all types of available Marshall Islands radiological data. In addition, we will make contact with the University of Washington, Brookhaven, and IX3E/NVOO to organize historical data into the data

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management system. We all current and future establish procedures to incorporate IXIE-funded programs in the Marshall The data management system will be expanded and refined, and data from various laborakoriesr univeritiesr etc., will be added. We will also be adding data from our ongoing programs. We will supply data from this system as needed by IDE. We will continue to incorporate all data obtained in the Marshall Islands into the data bank. This data bank will provide the information for the radiological dose assessments that will serve as the basis for the U.S. government (DOE, IX)I, DOD) to make decisions on resettlement options at Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap, and other atolls in the northern Marshall Islands. h. Relationships to Other Projects This program is very closely related, and in fact depends on, other programs such as “Northern Mashall Islands Multi-Atoll Cycling of Transuranics and Other Radionuclides in the Marshall Enewetak Radiological Clean-up Program, current programs at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) , and historical programs at the University of Washington and at BNL. j- Explanation of Milestones