ABSTRACT
Radiocesium and stable potassium levels were determined
in samples of muscle tissue of Birgus latro,
the coconut crab,
collected at Rongelap Atoll, Marshall Islands, during March and
August,1958, and March 1959, and at Utirik Atoll in March 1959.
Levels of cesium-137 ranged between
731
Kabelle Island, Rongelap Atoll,
d/m/g dry weight
Utirik Island, Utirik Atoll.
at
The average potassium value for
all samples was 13.05 mg/g dry
ation of 3.66.
and 28
d/m/g dry weight at
weight with a standard devi-
No significant correlation between cesium-137 and
potassium levels was found.
There was no significant difference
in the average levels of cesium-137 in crabs collected at different
times at the same island.