- 56 -
form,
The probable reason that the elements of fission
products are not found in greater abundance in fish is that
they are not physiologically important and, if present at
all, are present in quantities that are difficult to detect by chemical methods.
As the method of radioactivation
analysis becomes more common, additional information on
trace elements may be expected.
Further inspection of Table IV shows that the
elements of the fallout radioisotopes are scarce in sea
water -- 5 parts per hundred million or less,
exception of strontium;
also,
with the
that the quantitative uptake
by fish of these elements is not great as compared to the
uptake of the other mineral elements of nutrition.
However,
the fact that the amount of these elements in sea water is
even less than in fish results in large concentration
factors which are not indicative of the amount of a radioisotope ithat will pe taken up (er of the hazard in terms
of maximum permissible concentration) but only of the fact
that there is an apparent physiological need for the element.
It would be expected that radioisotopes of elements with the
largest concentration factors would be taken up most readily
from the
sea,