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Radiobiological Studies of the Contamination of Eniwetok and
Bikini
Laboratory studies of a limited scope have been conducted
at the Applied Fisheries Laboratory to support the field projects at the Pacific Proving Ground.
These experiments include
physical, biological and chemical studies.
A.
Uptake of fission products by algae
Experiments on the fate of fission products ingested by
crabs eating radioactive Ulva lactuca or Nereocystis leutkeana
indicated that most of the activity in the crabs was found in
the digestive glands
(51 per cent),
and that the feces con-
tained 42 per cent of the activity over a period of 17 days.
The remainder was present in the gills, muscles,
and carapace.
During the year, reports will be written on the above
experiments and on the work done with uptake of fission products
from Engebi sand
(1952)
by algae.
Experiments with the green alga, Chlorella pyrenoidosa,
to determine whether it absorbed the activity rather than
adsorbed it onto its surfaces, were conducted.
In 30 seconds
incubation in “hot" solutions dead algae killed by heating or
by trichloroacetic acid retained as much activity as did live
algae; however, with increasing incubation time, the living
algae accumulated much more activity whereas the dead cells