INTRODUCTION
During the weapons testing program of Operation Castle at
Bikini and Eniwetok Atolls in the spring of 1954, the Applied
Fisheries Laboratory of the University of Washington carried
out studies on the uptake of radioactive materials in a variety
of aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals.
In addition to
the programmatic studies, exploratory studies also were continued,
including a study of the reef algae.
Collections of algae from near the Marine Biological Laboratory on Parry Island,
alga
Eniwetok Atoll,
indicate that a small red
(Asparagopsis) has a remarkable affinity for iodine as
measured by the uptake of I
131
immediately following weapon
detonations at the Pacific Proving Ground.
COLLECTION OF MATERIAL
Immediately following the March 1,
Bikini Atoll,
1954 experiment at
it was observed that the background level of
radioactivity on the reef of the seaward side of Parry Island
had increased.
Most of the algae growing on this reef had only
Slightly higher readings than the background level.
the level for Asparagopsis taxiformis
(Delile)
However,
Collins and
Hervey, a delicate, branching red alga, was unexpectedly high.
SOF ARCBIVE