Historical Synopsis (Enclosures: Field Task Proposal Agreement)

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Schedule 189’s and Field Task Proposals Marshall Islands Radiological Safety Program and Rongelap/Utirik Dose Reassessment Project

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 1 ‘.VOi=iK ?> CXAGE NuMSER 2, TASK NO. 3.REv NO. 4, PROJECT NO. 5. DATE PREPARED ii. ~ $1 R& 9.3UDGET AND REPORTING CCDE 10. TASK TERM ‘ 11, CONTRACTOR NAME 112. CODE inctuded In tke anv management A comprehensive radiological safety prograa will ~e maintained for the inhabitants of atolls in the Northern t.larshallIslands as a result of the U.S. ?acific Testing progrms. The following items and services will be provided: 1-. ?ersonnel monitoring and environmental sampling to provide data for dose assessments and detenination of radiological trends, 7-. individual and population dose-equivalent assessment based on neasured body burde>s, retention functions, and radioactivity upta!cepatterr.s. These data wi~l be used to modify predictive dose-equivalent commic,nentmodels so they nay more adequately reflect future trends, and 3. the collection of physiologic, anthropomorphic, diet and living pattern data to apply accurate parameters to conte~porary and ?redictive dose assessments. ?r~gran activities in the coning fiscal year will emphasize the followinS: 1. in vivo couztixg and radiochenical analysis of biological samples for—— Znewetak Atall resitients, -4. iz vivo countizg and radiochemical analysis of ~iological sanples for—— 3.- in vivo countiag and radiochemical analysis of biological sarnpl~s:Dr—— !-larshallesecomparison groups who have not subsisted from food grown on Utirik, 4. sampling and analysis of coconuts and coconut tree food products obtai~ed

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TITLE BUDGET AND REPORTING CODE Associated Universities, Inc. BNL o It is anticipated that work for this proposal will use existing Laboratory facilities and site utility services. activity intake from bioassay data: A model applied to CS-137 intake by Bikini Island residents. Health Phys. 39, 177-1S3 (1980).— long term biological removal rate constants for the Xarshallese population. Health Lessard, E.T., Greenhouse, N..4., and Miltenberger, R.P. A reconstruction of chronic dose equivalents for Roagelap and Utiriic residents - 1954 to 1980. ?3NLLessard, E.T. Rate constants for biological elimination of Strontium and Cesium in the Yarshallese population. ?resented at the 25th Annual Conference on Bioassay, Analytical and Environmental Quality, Las Vegas, Xevada, October, 1979. Lessard, E.T. Body 5urden xeasurcments as determined from whole body counting and urine >ioassay. Presented at the 25th Annual Conference on Eiioassay, Analytical and Environmental Quality, Las Vegas, Nevada, October, 1979. ~essard, ~.’r. I)oseassessment for Xongelap and Ytirik residents 1954 to Present. ?resented at the 25th Annual Yeetiag of the Health Physics Society, Seattle, Washington, July, 1980. The pri~ary pur?ose of this program is to neasure and evaluate the internal and external dose equivalents to ?ersons living on those islands in the TIarshalls ~roup which i;er~ impacted by tropospheric fallout from United States atmospheric nuclear tests in the Pacific. Its objectives are: 1. direct or indirect aeasurenent of radionucliie body ‘ourdecs, ?-. measurement of the external radiation enviromnent,

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TASK NO. i7EV NO, 3. evaluation of diet and living patterns insofar as they relate to the identification of exposure pat’nwaysand ~“aedetermination of dose equivalents, 4. assess prospective d~se equivalents for persons returni>g to atolls contaminated during the weapons testing ?eriod, and 5. maintain conpariscn dd:a and personnel monitoring and dose equivale~: data for individuals ex?osed to fission and activation products and transurznic nuclides in the Yarshall Isl.aiids. This program was initiated in 1974 at the request of the Atomic ?nergy Commission (20S) in 2.nticipationof potential radiation exposures to the re:urair.g Internal and external dose equivals~ts will be svaluared using accept~d and 3ietary and living ?attern information will be derived from iircct observa- :Ton and intzrview Wit’h persons residing ~n atolls of interest. These interviews will be standardized and conductsd duri>g whole-body counting field trips. .Inalysis of soil and food chain related plants will continue in order to relate radioactivity in food crops vith body burdens. Coconuts, soil, sa? from Fiscal control will be exercised in the fom of nonthly comparisons, over the task term, of actual costs i?cur~ed agzi~st corresponding line iceas of the !mdget. Brookhaven National Laboratory (3&1L).

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TITLE BUDGET AND REPCRTING CCDE 3ATE PRE?Ai?ED Marshall Islands Radiological i FLA-02-01-02 03/31/81 Associated Uniters]!, es, Inc. BNL I o 20. Detail Attachments. cent. Technical ?rogress in FY 1980. In February 1980, a field tri? was undertaken to Japtan and Enewetak Islands, Eneweta’k Atoll and Ujelang Island, Ujelang Atoll to obtain baseline body-burden data on the Enewetak population prior to the repatriation of Enewetak Atoll in collection of one liter urine samples from all persons five years of age and older. At Ujelang, nonparticipants in the whole-body counting program were invited to provide urine samples. Approximately 400 urine samples were collected and are currently being specrrcnetrically analyzed for ganna emitters and radiochemically analyzed for Sr-9Cl. Additionally, ?arci.ci?ants provided physical and in which a sodium iodide detector was positioned in front of a shielded person. The solid angle of the detector peraitted collection of photons emitted from the trunk of an adult body. This geometry allowed safe entry and egress with comparable sensitivity relative to the bed geometry used in prior field trips. .4pproximately 400 spectra were obtairied from individuals on Japtan, Znewetak and Ujelang Islands. These spectra were analyzed for CS-137 and K-40 using calibration standards which best matched the sex, height and veight of the person. Additional analyses were perfoned to determine the frequency distributi~n statistics for various age and sex subgroupi~gs of c’riebody burdens. Quality assurance was obtained through duplicate whol.s-bodycounts and repetitive point source standard councs to deterniae the precision and accuracy of the system. During the Jaly and August 1980 field trip, whole-body counts and urine samples were collected at ;lajuroAtoll and Kili Island from fomer 3ikini Atoll residents and from a comparison population. Approximately 200 spectra were obtai~ed and 100 urine saaples collected. Fifty percent of the spectra were from persons who were residents and whole-body counted on Bikini Atoll in .April1980, 10 perce~t were from former Bikini Atoll residents not counted before and the remaini~.g spectra were froa a comparison group who had never resided on Bikini Atoll. A quality assurance program similar to that employed at !Znewetak was used. body-burden assessment due to reconfiguration of the shieldi~g and deteczor. :0?Lsecutive measurements of a former 3ikini resident’s body burden allowed computation of individual long-tera biological rmoval rate constants. This data along with the methodology were ‘writtenu? and issued i~ a prinary scientific publica~ion. At Kili Islar.dthere were fomer 3ikini residents whose CS-137 body burden remained unchanged or increased. Xeasons for this nuclide being present in their current diet were investi~ated. This work shoved that these burde~s were within three standard deviations of the nean burden of the comparison population except in

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BUDGET AND i?E? ORTING CODE I DATE ?REPARED TASK NO. I?Ev. No. 20. Detail Attachments. cent. Technical Progress in FY 1980 cont. a few cases. Burdens elevated above this level co~ld be attributed to recent iagesti~n of Bikini Atoll food which had been transported zo Kilt Island. Human nilk samples had been obtained fron four lact2ting adult fomer Bit{ini females w“noseCS.-137body burden had been defined by wholz-body counting and radiochenical analysis of urine. Yilk samples along with Bikini Island coconut tree sap and nuts were analyzed ~y ~arrnaspectroscopy and atomic absorption to deActivicy i~gestion rates and future hod;~~urdens for CS-137 were estinated for the population who may return to Enue Island, 3i!<ini-Atoll. T3is projection involved a detenination of activity transfzr factors calculated frcm Rongelap and 3i!ciniwhole-body counting data and from activity concentration analyses of coconut t~ee products. These factors were comparable for both atolls and dose-equivzlmt commitments were projected for aduits. Ftetrospective and corttenporary external exposure rate data, whole-body counting data, and rzdioc%e~ical analysis of urine and blood data were reviewed far the interval June 1954 to December 1980 for the Rongelapese and Utirilkese, Dosimetric models ‘which best described the upta’keregime were constricted for the auclides of dose equivalent cozunitnents to various organs were detemined. population dosiaeIndividual dosinetric data records are maintained at the Laboratory. Personnel monitoring and related demographic data will be obtained fron residents of Rongelap, Utirik and Enewetak and other areas of interest to DOE. The data base oa diet and living patterns will 3e u?c!atsd for all relevant atolls Expected Progress in P? 1982. Evaluation of the decline of body burdens anong foz%er 3ikini Island residents will continue for t’natportion of the ?opulation in residence on ;fajuro Atoll or Kili Island. Personnel aonitorizg will contiaue zt Znewetak Atoll.

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TITLE { BUDGET AND REPORTING CODE DATE PREPARED Marshall Islands Radiological HA-02-01-02 03/31/81 CONTRACTOR NAME CODE WP NUMBER TASK sO. REV. NO, Expected Progress in FY 1983. Radionuclide body burdens will be evaluated for the population in resfdence at Enue Island, Bikini Atoll. Personnel monitoring and related demographic assessment activities will continue in all areas of interest in the Marshall .4dosiinetrichistory will be maintained for individual residents of the vide information regarding the uptake, retention, and excretion of radioactive material and will iaprove the accuracy and value of long-range predictive dose assessments from ~~n-~ade radionuclides in the environment. h. Relationship to Other Projects. This program operates and interacts directly with the Brookhaven Nedical ?rogram in the XarsSall Islands, and provides contemporary data to be factored into the Retrospective Dose Reassessments for Rongelap and Utirik (and other islands affected by weapons test fallout).. It also provides empirical bases for upgrading long range predictive dose xodeling activites such as those of the Lawrence Livemore Laboratory. Coordination of this program with related ?rogram within DOE and its contractors will be accomplished through ti~ely exchange OS program findings and related information. Work done mder this task proposal has either ~o environmental impact or hzs impacts siinilarto those described in and covered tiy3NL’s Environmental Inpact .Anintrinsic Ge(Li) whole body counting syste~ is needed to provide sore sfficient and ?ffective operation In the ;Iarshall Islands Radiological SaEet:r ?rogram for counti~.glow ener~y photons emitted fron transuranic nuclides. This system ($150,000)”and associated shielding and bed equipment ($25,000) will be used to neas’ure~ody 5urdens of transuranic nuclides in persons at Enswetak .%tollat levels below the maxizmm allowable far members of the general public. Prospective dose equivalents for blood foming organs will 5e assessed based on these

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TITLE I 9uDGET AND REPORTING CCDE 1 DATE PREPARED CONTRACTOR NAME CODE WP NUMBER 7ASK NO. I I?EV. NO. Z(-J. Detail Attachments. cone. A word processor ($20,000) for the :.!arshallIslands Radiological Safety ?rogran to provide more efficient and effective operation will be needed to prepars priaary sctentif~c publi.c~tions and CO prepare, xodify and store individual dos%=etry, body burden, bioassay ar.d demographic rec~rds on the inhabitants of the Xarshall Islaxds included in our study, Tke processor will be used also in ths preparation of trip re?orts, sc’nedulesand other administrative writing.