Acute and Chronic Intakes of Fallout Radionuclides by Marshallese from Nuclear Weapons Testing at Bikini and Enewetak and Related Internal Radiation Doses

A comprehensive assessment of internal radiation doses from nuclear fallout reveals that Marshallese residents, particularly those on Rongelap Island, experienced significantly higher thyroid radiation exposure compared to other atolls. The study estimates acute and chronic intakes of 63 radionuclides from Bikini and Enewetak tests (1946–1958) using historical bioassay data and fallout models, with adult thyroid doses reaching up to 7,600 mGy on Rongelap—far exceeding levels in populated atolls like Kwajalein and Majuro. The research tailors dose conversion coefficients for particulate fallout intake, providing the most complete radionuclide exposure estimates for the Marshall Islands, which were later used to project lifetime cancer risks.

Simon, S. L., Bouville, A., Melo, D., Beck, H. L., & Weinstock, R. M. (2010). ACUTE AND CHRONIC INTAKES OF FALLOUT RADIONUCLIDES BY MARSHALLESE FROM NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING AT BIKINI AND ENEWETAK AND RELATED INTERNAL RADIATION DOSES. Health Physics, 99(2), 157–200. https://doi.org/10.1097/hp.0b013e3181dc4e51