The radioactive fallout particles were white, opaque, irregularly
shaped grains, Some of them were fluffy and very fragile while others
appeared hard and dense. They varied in size from about 25 pt to 1 or 2 mm.
in diameter,

X-ray diffraction analyses showed that they were composed

primarily of caleium hydroxide and calcium carbonate (calcite structure).

Other compounds occurring in minor amounts were calcium oxide, calcium

carbonate (aragonite structure), sodium chloride and magnesium carbonate

triehydrate, Tentatively identified as present in several particles were
calcium nitrate tetra-hydrate and calcium sulfate dihydrate and hemihydrate,.
Studying the thin sections of the fallout particles with the petrographic microscope gave a detailed picture of the distribution of the
hydroxide and carbonate. Most of the particles were composed largely of
calcium hydroxide in the central part with an outer layer of calcium carponate. The thickness of the outer layer of carbonate varied froma few
microns up to about 1004. While the areas of the two compounds were
distinct, the transition between them was sufficiently gradual to indicate
that the outer carbonate layer had been formed by the carbonation of the
calcium hydroxide,
Occasionally, a particle was found with an inner core of unaltered
calcium carbonate and an outer zone of calcium hydroxide.

A few particles were found with cores of calcium oxide the outer

layer of which had been hydrated to calcium hydroxide.
Some radioactive particles consisting of unaltered coral grains
were found,
43.2

Distribution of Activity

By making radioautogranhs of the thin sections with Eastman NTB
stripping film, a knowledge of the distribution of the radioactivity

within the particles was obtained. In practically all of the thin sections studied, the radioactivity was located on the exterior of the
particle. The activity was most intense on the surface and diminished

fairly abruptly to very low levels at depths of 50 to 1504. The graded
appearance of the boundary suggested that the penstration of the activity

into the particle was by solution and deposition, The distribution of
the activity was independent of the compositional structure of the particle.
In a few instances, the radioactivity was distributed ir-egularly
in patches throughout the particles. In these cases, the particles themselves usually had spherical or spheroidal shapes as contrasted with the
angular shapes of the particles in which the activity was found on the
exterior,

4.3.3 Solubility
Four samples of fallout material from Shot 1 were leached in water

for varying times.

An initial separation was then made into soluble and

insoluble fractions by filtering the suspensions through millipore filters.
According to the manufacturer's description, millipore filters are completely retentive for particles one-half micron and larger in diameter.

The filtrate was then subdivided into ionic and colloidal fractions by
treatment in an electrodialysis cell. The results are tabulated below:

97

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