fouling organisms on the bottoms of the ships and the
plankton feeders on the reef became increasingly radioactive at night as the transport of the radioactive
products continued.
It can be said then that plankton may cause the
distribution of radionuclides in the sea to be different
from that which would be expected from the distribution
by currents alone in the following respects:
(1)
a
delay in the movement from the area of original contamination,
(2)
a slower down-current movement,
(3)
a
limited dispersion up-current or beyond the currents'
boundaries,
(4)
a greater vertical distribution,
and
(5) an over-all greater dispersion of relatively lower
concentrations.
Aquatic plants or algae may be free-floating
are the phytoplankton),
in the shallow water.
attached to the reefs,
Just as do land plants,
(as
or growing
the algae
contribute to the food supply of animal populations.
Minerals as well as organic materials,
incorporated into the algae,
concentrated and
are passed on in the food
chain to the animals that feed upon them.
Thus the
radioactive materials pass through the algae to the
animals in the normal course of food gathering.
The affinity of algae for some of the radioisotopes
is well known.
For example,
Asparagopsis,
a marine alga
found on the reefs at Bikini and Eniwetok, has a great
affinity for iodine (UWFL-44),
In the presence of 1131
Asparagopsis becomes radioactive.
This alga is a
Succulent morsel sought by fishes;
thus the yi3l passes
to the fish and along the food chain...