Table 6.1—SUMMARY OF RADIOLOGICAL ASSAYS Alpha Beta Airborne Filter Cascade impactor q _ 10 q 10 7 10 3 2 Water Sea Fresh 205 36 205 36 205 36 2 1 17 3 17 3 17 £ 2 3 3 3 286 288 Solid Swipes Evaporator deposits Soil Food Total Gamma Energy Decay rate . 5 1 1 4 3 288 il 5 Sea water was also assayed regularly at the bathing beach off Elmer; the results indicated that the facilities were safe for swimming. In addition, radioassays of sea water were utilized to indicate hazards that might be encountered in shallow-waier diving operations required for recovery of equipment. Drinking water was monitored before and after Mike shot at various installations on Eniwetok Atoll and at Kusaie, Majuro, Ponape, Kwajalein, and Bikini islands. No radiation hazards were found in any drinking-water samples. Various types of solid samples were assayed. Swipes taken aboard the USS Rendova and other ships after Mike and King shots indicated the amount of fall-out and the success of decontam‘uation operations. Analyses of deposits from the evaporators on the USS Rendova were negative, whereas similar samples taken from the USS Lipan showed positive but low beta activity. A number of soil samples were obtained from various islands and were assayed in conjunction with recovery-party operations. Although considerable beta and gamma activities were found in someinstances, no alpha hazard was recorded. Food taken from the drier operating on Yvonne after Mike shot showed no activity and could thus be used safely. 6.3.2 . . Evaluation of the Field Laboratory In general, the laboratory successfully performed the mission assigned to it; the work load was well within its capacity. On a one-shift basis it could have handled at least twice as many samples had the need arisen. However, the following general comments are included for consideration in the event a laboratory of this type is to be used on future operations. Considerable maintenance was required on the electronic equipment within the laboratory. An electronic engineer should be included as a memberof the operational team for the laboratory to expedite needed repairs, A definite need exists for the ability to differentiate between the radioactivity due to hard betas and soft gammas. Present results indicate that most of the gammaactivity in residual radiation is quite soft and is absorbed when betas are filtered out in a differential count. 32 ‘