SUPPLEMENT TO THE OFF-SITE RADIOLOGICAL
SAFETY REPORT FOR THE CANNIKIN EVENT
November 6, 1971
NERC-LV-539-2
Supplement
by the
Monitoring OpeijaJ^ans Division
National Environmental Research Center
U.S. ENVBR ITAL PROT1 ff AGENCY
Las Vegas, Nevada
PRO
This surveillance performed under a Memorandum of
Understanding No. AT(26-l)-539
for the
U. S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
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This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored
by the United States Government. Neither the United States
nor the United States Atomic Energy Commission, nor any of
their employees, nor any of their contractors, subcontrac-
tors, or their employees, makes any warranty, express or
implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility
for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any infor-
mation, apparatus, product or process disclosed, or repre-
sents that its use would not infringe privately-owned rights.
Available from the National Technical Information Service,
U. S. Department of Commerce
Springfield, VA. 22151
Price: paper copy $4.00; microfiche $1.45
UL
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NERCLV5392A
NERC-LV-539-2
Supplement
SUPPLEMENT TO THE OFF-SITE RADIOLOGICAL
SAFETY REPORT FOR THE CANNIKIN EVENT
November 6, 1971
by the
Monitoring Operations Division
National Environmental Research Center
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Las Vegas, Nevada
Published August 1973
This surveillance performed under a Memorandum of
Understanding No. AT(26-l)-539
for the
U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
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SUPPLEMENT TO THE OFF-SITE RADIOLOGICAL
SAFETY REPORT FOR THE CANNIKIN EVENT
November 6, 1971
On November 6, 1971, the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) conducted an
underground nuclear weapons test on Amchitka Island, Alaska. This test,
named Cannikin, had an explosive force of less than five megatons of TNT
and was detonated 6000 feet below surface level. Under a Memorandum of Un-
derstanding (No. AT(26-l)-539) with the AEC, the U. S. Environmental Pro-
tection Agency (EPA), National Environmental Research Center-Las Vegas
(NERC-LV), provided an off-site radiological safety program along the Alaskan
Peninsula and Aleutian Island Chain. This program was designed to document
the radiological situation prior to and after, the test, to provide a public
contact and information program concerning the potential hazards of the test,
to provide radiation monitoring personnel at pertinent positions near Amchitka
(at inhabited locations, in aircraft and on three ships) at shot-time in the
event of an emergency, and to gather information on any incidents attributed
to the test.
The procedures and results of this surveillance effort were published in two
(1 2)
reports, NERC-LV-539-2 and 3. ' In these reports, the results of pre- and
post-shot radiological analyses of air, water, and milk samples were reported
with the analytical results of only a portion of the total edible marine life
samples collected for the Cannikin Event. The reports included the analytical
results of pre-shot marine samples representing commercial fishing areas and
of special marine samples collected by the University of Washington during
the immediate pre- and post-shot periods; post-shot marine samples from com-
mercial fishing areas were not available in time for analyzing and reporting.
C. W. Fort and D. T. Wruble, "Off-Site Radiological Safety for the Cannikin
Event November 6, 1971," NERC-LV-539-2. National Environmental Research
Center, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, Nevada. September
1971.
2
"Data Appendix to the Off-Site Radiological Safety Report for the Cannikin
Event November 6, 1971," NERC-LV-539-3. National Environmental Research
Center, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, Nevada. September
1972.
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To complete the reporting of all analytical results for the Cannikin Event,
this supplement summarizes the results of the samples collected in November
1972 from the commercial fishing areas. These samples were collected, where
possible, from the same locations as those collected prior to the Cannikin
Event. These samples consisted of various species of canned salmon, shrimp,
and crab which were selected from the 1972 commercial fishing catch by the
National Canners Association, Seattle, Washington. All samples were sent
to NERC-LV for gamma spectroscopy and 3H analyses. Selected samples were
analyzed for ®9~90Sr. Normally, the activities of the commercial fishing
industry vary somewhat from season to season. For this reason it was not
possible to obtain samples from exactly the same areas from which the 1971
samples were collected. However, in most cases, the samples taken in 1972
were representative of both the location and the species of those collected
in 1971.
The following table shows the results for the samples collected in 1972 and,
for comparative purposes, those collected in 1971. The results of replicate
samples collected in 1971 are reported as ranges in concentrations and foot-
noted as to the number of samples in each range. As shown by this table, the
1972 results were essentially the same as the 1971 results.
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Comparison of Analytical Results for Pre-Shot (1971)
and Post-Shot (1972) Samples of Edible Marine Life*
Radioactivity Concentration
Sampling
Location
Anacortes, WA
Adak, AK
Annette, AK
Egegik, AK
False Pass,
AK
King Cove,
AK
Sample Year
Type Collected
King Salmon
Red Salmon
Coho Salmon
King Crab
Pink Salmon
Chum Salmon
Red Salmon
Red Salmon
Pink Salmon
Red Salmon
Pink Salmon
King Crab
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
3H
(pCi/kg)
<200
140 ± 140
<200
<160
<200
210 ± 160
NO SAMPLE
230 ± 200
<200,480 ± 230°
<180
<300,400 ± 230°
270 ± 180
<200°
260 ± 160
<200C
<170
000°
360 ± 190
<200°
330 ± 170
<20
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Comparison of Analytical Results for Pre-Shot (1971)
and Post-Shot (1972) Samples of Edible Marine Lifea
Radioactivity Concentration11
Sampling
Location
Kodiak, AK
Mountain
Village, AK
Naknek, AK
Nushagak, AK
Sample Year
Type Collected
Red Salmon
Pink Salmon
Chum Salmon
Shrimp
Snow Crab
King Crab
Chum Salmon
King Salmon
Red Salmon
Chum Salmon
King Salmon
Red Salmon
Chum Salmon
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
1971
1972
3H
(pCi/kg)
<200°
350 ± 170
<200
360 ± 190
<200
<180
<300e
<200
ooo*
<210
<300
<190
500 ± 240,540 ± 240°
400 ± 170
400 ± 210,480 ± 220C
520 ± 160
<200C
<160
<200,300 ± 230°
190 ± 170
<90-310 ± 200e
330 ± 160
<200e
230 ± 160
<100-330 ± 240*
250 ± 170
89Sr
(pCi/kg)
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
<74d
<9.0
<57
NA
NA
NA
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Comparison of Analytical Results for Pre-Shot (1971)
and Post-Shot (1972) Samples of Edible Marine Lifea
Radioactivity Concentration
Sampling Sample Year
Location Type Collected
Squaw Harbor, Shrimp 1971
AK 1972
Togiak, AK King Salmon 1971
1972
Red Salmon 1971
1972
Chum Salmon 1971
1972
3H
(pCi/kg)
89Sr
(pCi/kg)
NO SAMPLE COLLECTED
390 ± 210 <5.0
<200-440 + 2206
<170
<200-370 ± 210e
170
<200-320 ± 220e
<190
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
9°Sr K
(pCi/kg) (mg/g)
<2.0
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
1.1
3.3-4.7e
3.7
3.1-4.96
2.2
3.5-4.2"
2.9
NA = No analysis
a = See report NERC-LV-539-3 for pre- and post-shot Amchitka data
b = All concentrations were based on the wet-weight of samples. All gamma spectroscopy
analyses were negligible, except for 4OK which is expressed in mg total K per g of
sample. Two sigma counting errors are shown for all analyses except for 4°K. The
large differences in Minimum Detectable Concentrations for 89~9°Sr analyses were
due to the differences in aliquots taken for these analyses, i.e. 2g aliquots were
used in 1971 and lOg aliquots were used in 1972.
c = Duplicate sample results
d = Analysis performed on one sample only
e = Range in results for four samples
f = Range in results for three samples
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DISTRIBUTION
1-15 National Environmental Research Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
16 Mahlon E. Gates, Manager, NVOO/AEC, Las Vegas, Nevada
17 Robert H. Thalgott, NVOO/AEC, Las Vegas, Nevada
18 David G. Jackson, NVOO/AEC, Las Vegas, Nevada
19 Chief, NOB/DNA, NVOO/AEC, Las Vegas, Nevada
20 Robert R. Loux, NVOO/AEC, Las Vegas, Nevada (+10)
21 Arthur J. Whitman, NVOO/AEC, Las Vegas, Nevada
22 Technical Library, NVOO/AEC, Las Vegas, Nevada
23 Mail & Records, NVOO/AEC, Las Vegas, Nevada
24 Martin B. Biles, DOS, USAEC, Washington, D. C.
25 Director, DMA, USAEC, Washington, D. C.
26 Harold F. Mueller, ARL/NOAA, NVOO/AEC, Las Vegas, Nevada
27 Gilbert J. Ferber, ARL/NOAA, Silver Spring, Maryland
28 Stanley M. Greenfield, Assistant Administrator for Research & Monitoring,
EPA, Washington, D. C.
29 William D. Rowe, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Radiation Programs,
EPA, Washington, D. C.
30 Dr. William A. Mills, Dir., Div. of Criteria & Standards, Office of
Radiation Programs, EPA, Washington, D. C.
31 Ernest D. Harvard, Acting Director, Division of Technology Assessment,
Office of Radiation Programs, EPA, Washington, D. C.
32 Bernd Kahn, Chief, Radiochemistry & Nuclear Engineering, NERC,
EPA, Cincinnati, Ohio
33 - 34 Charles L. Weaver, Director, Field Operations Division, Office of
Radiation Programs, EPA, Washington, D. C.
35 Dr. Gordon Everett, Director, Office of Technical Analysis, EPA,
Washington, D. C.
36 Kurt L. Feldmann, Managing Editor, Radiation Data & Reports, ORP,
EPA, Washington, D. C.
37 Regional Administrator, EPA, Region IX, San Francisco, California
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DISTRIBUTION (continued)
• ••
38 Regional Radiation Representative, EPA, Region IX, San. Francisco, CA.
39 Eastern Environmental Radiation Facility, EPA, Montgomery, Alabama
40 Library, EPA, Washington, D. C.
41 K. M. Oswald, LLL, Mercury, Nevada
42 James E. Carothers, LLL, Livermore, California
43 Charles I. Browne, LASL, Los Alamos, New Mexico
44 Harry S. Jordan, LASL, Los Alamos, New Mexico
45 Arden E. Bicker, REECo, Mercury, Nevada
46 Savino W. Cavender, REECo, Mercury, Nevada
47 Carter D. Broyles, Sandia Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico
48 Robert H. Wilson, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
49 Richard S. Davidson, Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio
50 J. P. Corley, Battelle Memorial Institute, Richland, Washington
51 Frank S. Abbott, USAEC, Golden, Colorado
52 John M. Ward, President, Desert Research Institute, University of
Nevada, Reno, Nevada
53 Walter Yonker, National Canners Association, Seattle, Washington
54 Dr. Allyn H. Seymour, Laboratory of Radiation and Ecology, College
of Fisheries, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
55 - 56 Technical Information Center, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (for public
availability).
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