PUERTO RICO NUCLEAR CENTER OPERATED 400791 BY R UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO FOR U. S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION CABLE ADDRESS: NUCLEAR. ADDRESS 11 September 1973 Center gs Dr. William 0. Forster REPLY TO: College Station Mayaguez, P. R. 00708 WP a Oceanographer, Environmental Programs Division of Biomedical and Environmental Research U. S. Atomic Energy Commission Washington, D. C. 20545 Dear Bill: Enclosed is a preliminary report on the analyses done to date. I told Kharkar to concentrate first on the water and plankton samples so that we would at least have some idea of the initial concentration second trophic levels. This week americium analyses in addition to plutonium work and we should have on this. factors in the first and Kharkar is starting the continuing with the some results to report Tin Mo is working with transfer coefficients of plutonium and americium from crater sediment to sea water and plans to start field studies on the relative rates of uptake of the two radioelements by the local marine phytoplankton of Puerto Rico. By coupling transfer experiments with the survey study done at Bikini, I think we stand a better chance of understanding the biogeochemistry of these elements in the sea. Roger Ray called about a week ago concerning the possibility of our using a new ship that Los Alamos operations plans to get for future Bikini work. Since I am not aware of the plans DBER has for our laboratory's continued work in the Bikini area, I couldn't give him a firm answer on how much ship time we would need. The glossy print of the Palumbo which you requested is en- closed. Since leaving San Diego last fall for Bikini, we have had no further trouble with the propulsion equipment on the Palumbo. In addition, the air conditioner has been be- having as it should. We plan to take the Palumbo into the Florida area for drydocking in about six weeks. The shipyard work in Puerto Rico is of such poor caliber that we have given up on trying to get the work done here. On the basis of preliminary bids it looks as if the Gulf Coast Shipyards can bid competitively enough that the total cost for drydocking will be about the same as if it were done in Puerto ico. PN. Sc Jiang, ka CeLtlearint Enuatiled 08875