- 33 - As these types of nuclear weapons were being developed it was, of course, realized that just such an incident as happened near Palomares could occur. First, the nuclear weapons were designed so that only the high explosive would detonate. Second, extensive experiments were con- ducted, including two major field tests, los 2. that showed the amount of plutonium that might be inhaled in the event of such an accident, In short, these experiments showed that if a person were exposed to the highest concent?tation of plutonium in the cloud from such an acci- dent he might receive a total radiation dose to the lungs of about 5 to 10 rem. The second of the major field tests was conducted under inver- sion meteorological conditions in order to maximize the concentration in the air at ground level. To evaluate such a potential dose it may be recalled that the safety standard for the lungs of atomic energy workers is 12-15 rem each year. As stated, any radiation exposure to the lungs as a result of resuspension of the plutonium from the ground (except possibly in the immediate impact area) probably would be less than that from passage of the cloud. In this case, however, it was possible and feasible to remove much of the plutonium from the environment by simply scraping off the soil to a depth of two to three inches, This action was taken over some 5-1/2 acres of land (0.022 square kilometers) resulting in 1100 CORSETREHIV (283 cubic meters) of soil that was transported to the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission's Savannah River plant, near Aiken, South Carolina, and buried 34