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RADIOCZSIUM IN PLANTS GROVN ON RONGELAP ATOLL 30I4L35~
R.

3B.

Walker,

E.

E.

Held,

and 3.

P.

Gessel*

AB3TRACT

Tomato and squash plants were grown in greenhouse pot
cultures using soil from

Rongelap Atoll, which received

fallout contamination in 1954.
ous combinations of N,

FP,

The treatments involved vari-

and K.

All fertilizer treatments

marsxedly reduced the content of Cs-137

whe tissue.

Also

t

3

Oo

rw
(asd

a

wy
rr

aal

GQ

cf a fielc experiment on Rongelap

Gs

oO

bt

ti

reduced the conten

°o

fart
ct

Island in which

po
hw.

tTeported are the results

an

with KCl ac least
in a native grass.

temporarily
Potassium

and Cs-137 contentsof foliar samples of several woody species
collectec on Rongelap Island are also included.

In the most

common pattern,X and Cs~137 contents of the upper foliage were
higher than those of the lower leaves,

but one species con-

sistently showed higher K but lower Cs-137 in the upper foliage.

Low K status of the soil and differences in mobility within the
plant may explain these patterns.

BEST COPYAVAI LABLE

leontribution from the University of Washington under
Contract No. AT(45-1)54D, with the United States Atomic
Energy Commission.
2Department of Botany,
men,

Pe 1 8 ne elem kK

Laboratory of Radiation Biology,

Ba a a ee

em me we pane tiaeaemitece

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