-20-
Table 5 shows that at Rongelap Atoll Sb!25 has been present in the
soil since March 26,
in the March 1,
1954, and it can be assumed that it was produced
1954
test
at
Bikini
soil sample from Eniwetok Atoll,
Atoll.
Sb 125
also was found ina
but the date of its formation is not
known.
Radioactive antimony has not been found in living organisms
although the stable element has been reported
in minute
amounts
in
non-planktonic algae, fish, and tunicates, as well asin sea water.
There is no information known to the present authors regarding the
health hazards of radioactive antimony,
(E u
154
).
but there is for europium
Calculations based on equations given in the National Bureau
of Standards Handbook 52.
8
for determining maximum permissible con-
centrations (MPC) showed that the level of Eu!
55
in the soil was many
times lower than the amount which could be considered a health hazard.
Traces of Co"
57
interference of Ce!
to evaluate.
Other
the ratio of Co®
0
were detected in the sample,
44
-Pr
144
but because of the
the amount of Co”! present was difficult
data from this Laboratory, however,
to Co
57
at Rongelap Atoll was about 1:1
showed that
at the time
of analysis.
SUMMARY
1.
Using ion-exchange techniques a radiochemical analysis was made
of a soil sample collected from the top inch of a bird nesting area at