Pa STANDARD FORM NO. 64 = : a ff.f + Office Memorandum * UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, = ae TO : Gordon M. Dunning, Chief, Radiation DATE: April 16, 1959 Effects of Weapons Branch, DBM FROM: SE LE ana I. E. Wallen, Aquatic Biologist, Environmental Sciences Branch, Division of Biology & Medicine SUBJECT: CALL TO DR. HELD ON RONGELAP DATA SYMBOL: BMES: LEW 410340 These are the answers to the questions Dr. Seymour obtained from Ed Held. 1. $r90 Analysis of Rongelap Food Samples ~ (samples for which C5l37 determination has already been made) All samples were pooled into one lot and the strontium extracted, Four aliquots were withdrawn, two for the direct determination of Sr?9 and two for the determina- tion of the $r90 yield from these specific samples. To do this the latter two samples were spiked with a known amount of sr90, considera= bly greater than the Sr90 in the sample, The separation has been made, the $r90-y90 has reached equilibrium, and the decay of the separated Y90 is now being run as a check on the separation technique. The data will be available in one week and either mailed or telephoned to you at that time, 2. Food samples from March 1959 trip - food samples for this trip. Dr. Conard obtained all of the With the help of a native he visited the natives at meal time to obtain specific information on their diet. 3. Data submitted to Environmental Scs. Br. on April 13th a. b. c. d. a>” oe eng sv A “A 4. Survey meter readings for March, 1959 Average of survey meter readings for all trips. Readings for the last three trips have been made at the same locations and therefore are directly comparable. $r90 in liver of land crabs, through August 1958. sr? in skeleton of land crabs, through August 1958. Analysis of Pandanus samples: Analysis of March 1958 samples for S190, Zr92-Nb92, Csal3/7, Rul06, Rh106, cel44, and sb125 completed. Samples of August 1958 and March 1959 pandanus fruit now being processed, Some Sr90 data are available and will be forwarded next week. 5. Sr90in plants - Analyses have been completed and data are now being o tabulated for samples collected after July, 1957. The available data will be forwarded next week. The items analyzed include coconut meat, pandanus, arrow root, squash, Guetarda, Scaevola, assisia, Bristula and Lepturus, ————_—

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