Body burdens of cesium-137 and potassium-40 in twenty-one members of the wintering party of the 16th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition 1975

Abstract

In this study, body burdens of cesium-137 and potassium-40 were measured using a human counter with 21 members of the 16th wintering party. The purposes of these measurements were (1) to observe the radioactive pollution in Japan and Antarctica through the human body, and (2) to estimate the effect of the Antarctic living on the body composition. The results obtained in the present study were as follows; 1) The mean value of body burdens of ^Cs increased from 1.20 to 1.69 nCi (p<0.05) in the case of six traverse members of the Yamato Mountains, while there was no significant difference in the case of fifteen base members. 2) The mean value of body weights increased significantly (p<0.01) after the Antarctic living and accordingly the total body potassium increased significantly (p<0.05), while the body fat remained unchanged.