Re-inhabitation of the Bikini Islands

[Håkan Pettersson <hakan.pettersson@raf.us.lio.se>]

Regarding re-inhabiation of the Bikini Islands: During the last 
few years considerable efforts have been made to study the current 
radiological situation at the Bikini. For many years the Lawrence 
Livermore National Laboratory (LLL) have conducted studies and 
recent reports address the use of potassium as a mitigator for Cs 
uptake (e.g. Robison, W.L. and Stone, E.L. "The effect of 
potassium on the uptake of Cs-137 in food crops grown on coral 
soils: coconut at Bikini Atoll", Health Phys. 62:496-511;1992). 
Regarding dose assessments there are several reports 
available from LLL, e.g. UCRL-LR-107036 (1994), UCRL-53917 (1989). 
Results of independent radiological studies supported by the 
Government of the Marshall Islands have also been published; e.g. 
Simon, S.L. and Graham, J.C. "Dose assessment activities in the 
republic of the Marshall Islands", Health Phys. 71:4, 438-456; 
1996.
An International Advisory Group convened by the International 
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducted a review of the current 
radiological conditions at Bikini Atollin in 1995-96. Reports 
should be available from the IAEA.

Best regards,
------------------------------------------------------------------
Håkan B.L. Pettersson, PhD	    Tel:   +46-13-221752 Office
Head, Div. of Radiation Protection	   +46-13-149324 home
Dept. of Radiation Physics 	    Fax:   +46-13-221775 Office
University Hospital of Linköping   	
S-581 85 Linköping, Sweden
Email: hakan.pettersson@raf.us.lio.se
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Fellow Radsafers...

A colleague of mine has been contacted for information regarding 
the
re-inhabitation of the Bikini Islands.  This is a subject which 
neither of us
are very knowledgeable about, so I'd like to request any 
information that may be
helpful in addressing this issue.  General information would be 
welcomed, and
more specifically, information regarding the use of potassium to 
prevent the
uptake of radionuclides into plant life.

Please respond to me privately.  If anyone else is interested in 
this
information, please contact me for a summary of the responses.

Thank you, and best regards.

Karl Fischer, M.E.
Area Health Physicist
Radiation Safety Branch, NIH
mailto: kwf@nih.gov



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