algae were selectively absorbing fission products released by the nuclear
detonations.
Other objectives were to determine the geographical distri-
bution of radioactivity and to determine the variability in the levels of
radioactivity in the same species.
METHODS
The following collections of algae were made: (1) samples of several
genera of algae and of sea water from the intertidal zones at Belle Island
(Fig. 1) at varying intervals of time before and after a nuclear detonation on an adjacent island; (2) samples of three genera of algae
in
the shallow water near eight other islands of the atoll at approximately
monthly intervals; (3) samples of algae and bottom sand from the deeper
waters of the lagoon off seven islands.
The samples were prepared at the Eniwetok Marine Biological Laboratory for further processing at the Laboratory of Radiation Biology, University of Washington, Seattle.
The samples of algae were dry ashed for
counting in an internal gas-flow counting chamber.
The methods used in
the preparation of samples for radioassay are described in this Laboratory's report, UWFL-43(7) and the procedures for counting are outlined
in wrei6'®) (UWFL-33).
The samples of sea water were placed on
1 1/2-inch stainless steel planchets and dried under an infrared lamp