In July of 1974, a contractor (the University of Nevada, Reno) was
selected to determine the dry matter and plutonium intake of grazing
animals at various seasons of the year, to determine the digestibility
of range plants grown on plutonium-contaminated soils, and to partition the quantity of ingested plutonium between that in the plant
versus the plutonium on the exterior of the plant.
The 300 fecal, ingesta, and plant samples specified in the contract
were collected during three 10-day sampling periods in July and
October of 1974 and January of 1975.
As of February 1,
University had completed 35% of the contract.
1975, the
This included 100%
completion of sample collection, 30% completion of the sample preparation, and 10% completion of the sample analysis.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
With the single exception of the goat phases,
the maintenance and
sampling phases stated in the study protocol have been met.
Because
of coyote predation, we have been unable to maintain a viable goat
herd.
As stated last year,
the greatest problems with this study are con-
cerned with actinide analysis.
Following the selection of an analytical laboratory, tissue and
ingesta samples were shipped for analysis in September 1974 and
February 1975.
As funds are not available for further analysis until
FY 1976, approximately 70 samples remain in cold storage.
include ail the samples from the July 1974 sacrifice.
These
Before the end
of the fiscal year, approximately 135 samples from the University of
Nevada, Reno, portion of the study will be submitted for actinide
analysis.
Hence,
it is anticipated that 205 samples will be carried
over and will be analyzed against FY 1976 funds.
The first raw data were received from the analytical laboratory in
February and March of 1975.
The key to the Nevada Applied Ecology
Group computer code used to identify these data was received in
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