RADIOACTIVITY IN THE REEF FISHES OF BELLE
ISLAND, ENIWETOK ATOLL, APRIL
1954 TO NOVEMBER 1955
Introduction
Previous
studies of the radioactivity in the fishes
in the
Marshall Islands have been confined to single surveys made soon
after &8n atomic detonation,
occasionally followed by one to
three resurveys a few months up to three years later (UWFL-7,
UWFL-16, UWFL-19, UWFL-23, WT-616 (UWFL-33), and UWFL-43 ).
Trends
in the levels or decline of radioactivity in the fish
populations could only be estimated by basing assumptions on
physical decay.
The
purpose
of this
investigation was
or decline of radioactivity in the fish,
in different species,
the
environment and
to measure
the
to compare the decline
in some of the organs or tissues,
to compare
trend
the decline with the
and in
physical
decay of radioactivity.
Materials and Methods
Continuous,
sequential studies of the amounts of radioactiv-
ity in the reef fishes of Belle
(Bogombogo)
Atoll,
1954,
were made from April 14,
Island, Eniwetok
through November 1,
1955,
during and after the weapons testing program at Eniwetok and
Bikini Atolls.
The Nectar
important in these studies,
shot of May 14,
1954,
wag
the most
since the detonation occurred but