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AECD-3146

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CAIN
|
STITVUSTT TISYA JO
ANs of four
ssue
TiUa
S;aou ALIS
specimens of exulans collected at Biijiri and
Engebi Islands exhibited wide variation in activity in different tissues and
in different specimens. The highest count was found in bone (1780) and was
directly correlated with the background count of the habitat. The total body
activity of the four specimens varied from 1 to 120,
The amount of radioactive fission products absorbed by the roots,

translocated through the plant and deposited internally within the tissues of
the coconut palms at Bikini and Eniwetok was not greater than twice that of

control plants. High counting "fallout" material persisted externally on the

°

dead leaf bases of coconuts,

A

cat8 created by neutron bombardment of

ca*4 in the coral sands of Runit Island was a component of the tutal calcium

of

of the plants on that Island and resumably of the plants on Engebi and Aomon,

Tt

Calcium deficiency in Portulaca oleracea observed at 30 yards from the

ha

bomb site on Runit was consideredto be sufficient to have caused tissue

disintegration and death.

The tumorous growths observed on Ipomces*™

of ]

Tuba on Engebi resembled those produced by an excess of indcle-3-acetic
acid on a geranium plant. The activity of the tumors was very low.

Fis
of ti

About one-third of the total number of plant species reported to be

at B

on the Eniwetok Shot Islands in 1944 or 1946 are not extinct.

In 1949, 20

an a

species were found on Engebi, 12 on Aomon and 19 on Runit.

Of these,

Sum:

about one-fourth -- a total of 9 species -- were mutants.
reappear

The first plants to

ports

in the area where it is certain that the bomb destroyed all grow-

ing plants, i.e., out to 300 yards from the bombsite, were Portulaca oleracea
and Chloris inflata.
_

exten.
wetok
tions :
August

*This r

with the
Navy.

Select target paragraph3