OFFICIAL USE ONLY
in polyethylene containers.

Concentrations are based on the

weight of the material at the time it was received at HASL.

Con-

sequently, all radiochemical and analytical results are reported
here in terms of d/m or grams, per gram of material as received

at HASL. Dr. H. Weiss has stated via letter(?) that the wet
weights of the plant specimens were not recorded at the time of
collection.

He has proposed that the results be expressed in

terms of d/m/kg of material as received at NRDL.
For determination of total beta activity an aliquot of
the, solution of wet-ashed material was transferred to a glass planchet, evaporated and dried under an infra~red lamp.

Counts were

converted to disintegrations by applying a geometry factor based
on x40 as a standard.

A self~absorption correction was also ap-

piied in each case.”

Under the wet ashing and plating conditions

used at HASL possible loss of volatile fission products such as

Ryl06 _ ppl06

is avoided. (3)

For practical reasons, the coconut

outer and inner shells were dry ashed at 500°C prior to dissolution.

* For the particular specimen type under consideration, several
values of activity vs. dry weight of the plated aliquot were
plotted and a smooth curve fitted for the points. Another

curve (based on extrapolation to zero mass) of activity ratio

(A/Ao) was drawn and used for determining the self-absorption
correction. See Figures 2 through 8.

Select target paragraph3