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CHAPTER V

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Residual Activity in

Pacific Ocean
During February-May 1955, a survey was
made by the Health and Safety Laboratory of
the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and the
Office of Naval Research (Operation Troll) of
the Pacific Ocean extending from the Marshall
Islands westward across the Pacific, northward
to Japan, then east to SanFrancisco.
The chart, on page 40 represents data on
activity found in sea water and plankton.
Table 41 shows some representative data on
activity versus depth of watersample.!? Tables
42 and 43 show representative data for marine
life.”

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Below is a summary of some of their conclusions:
1. Sea water and plankton samples show
the existence of wide-spread low-level activity
in the Pacific Ocean. Water activity ranged
from 0-570 d/min/liter and plankton from
3-140 d/min/g wet weight.

2. There is some concentration of the

activity in the main current streams, such

as the North Equatorial Current. The
highest activity was off the coast of Luzon,
averaging 190 d/min/liter down to 600 m
(April 1, 1955).
3. Analyses of fish indicate no activity
approaching the maximum permissible level
for foods. The highest activity in tuna fish
was 3.5 d/min/g ash, less than 1 percent of
the permissible level.*
4. Measurements of plankton activity offer
a Sensitive indication of activity in the ocean.
On June 11-21, 1956 another survey of radioactivity in the sea was conducted near Bikini
and Eniwetok Atolls by the AFL. Since this
survey was conducted during the Spring 1956
test series of detonations, temporarily relatively
higher activities might be expected. Table 44
summarizes someof the data."
*Based on 1/10 m.p.c. of that for atomie energy workers.

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