THE OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF RADIOACTIVE NON-FISSION
PRODUCTS IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF THE PACIFIC PROVING GROUND

Introduction
After

the

detonation of

the Castle series of

nuclear

devices in 1954, fission product chemical separations were made
on several organs and tissues of yellow snapper (Lutianus vaigi-

ensis) and mullet (Neomyxis Chaptalli and Chelon vaigiensis)
collected at Edna Island, Eniwetok Atoll, on July 3, 1954.

In

addition, the levels .of cad in the samples were determined.
The total activities contributed by non-fission products were
as follows:

Per cent of activity contributed by
non-fission products

Organism

Bone

Muscle

Skin

Liver

Gut

Yellow snapper

99.0

98 .0

86.2

95.8

50.5

Mullet

75.3

95.1

83.8

91.4

These results, in conjunction with
radioactive decay data,

0

8 -absorption and

indicated the presence of large amounts

of non-fission isotopes in the fish samples.

In addition, the

levels of non-fission products were higher in each instance in

the carnivorous fish (yellow snapper) than in the detritus feeder

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