fishes is not known and the chemical form in which the radionuclides are present in the lagoon waters can only be surmised .
We do not even know,

for example, whether the radionuclides

and their stable isotopes are present in the same chemical form.
Furthermore,

there are no uncontestable data on the trace element

content of lagoon waters and probably will not be until the
techniques of sampling and processing seawater samples is greatly
improved.

However,

some hypotheses can be made and conclusions

can be drawn from certain data.
All of the fallout radionuclides at Bikini are found in

the surface of undisturbed soils.
in 1969 were 25,

6000,

57H,

The predominant radionuclides

905.

125.5,

137 G6,

In the crater sediments only four predominate:

and 20734.

35 re,

6000,

906),

and 20755, although many more are present in smaller quantities.
The soils and sediments are now the principal reservoirs of radionuclides at Bikini.

The radionuclides are available to the land

animals through the vegetation,

or other animals, where there

is selection of specific radionuclides, or through direct ingestion of soil.

In the latter case,

the animal selects certain

radionuclides from a wider variety of nuclides than is in the
vegetation.

Similarly,

the marine animals may ingest radionuclides by

eating another organism or by ingesting sediments.

In addition,

the marine organism may absorb radionuclides directly from the

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