ee

120

particulate fractionation of 23854 in Bikini water, speculation on the
relationship of this environmentz] data, to the published laboratory studies,
is avoided.
Figure 25 shows that relative to 2594240, 24) An and oe, the radionuclides 20785 1376. and 606, are more greatly distributed into the aqueous
phase and therefore may be leaving the sediments at higher rates, assuming
similar concentration-flux relationships between the radionuclides.
tions of this sort are risky, but the elevated 60¢,,

207

Assump-

Bi and (greatly

elevated) 376, ratios led support to a hypothesis that although the major
differences in the relative distributions of the two groups of radionuclides
probably arose from differences via their introduction from different source
terms, chemical dissolution of 6066, 2078, and 1376, from particles in the
aqueous phase, both initially and at later times, may be important considera
tions to the observed, and future (re)distributions of the radionuclides.
The distribution of the ratios shown in Figure 25 show differences both
between radionuclides and between sampling stations that pose a host of
relevant and basic questions.

It is evident, for instance, that between the

relatively protected (from lagoon current) detonation craters and the lagoon
stations, large differences in the relative proportions and physical-chemical
States of the radionuclides exist.

Further, although deposition, dilution

and/or solution of 23942405, eal ay and 55 y contaminated debris is evident
from the low particulate/sediment ratios in mid-lagoon stations B-24 and B-27,
the concentration of the 2073;

and 60, particulate fraction does not

decrease, indicating the presence of several physical-chemical states for the
radionuclides and particulate material in the water solumn.

While particulate/

water ratios found which are greater than 0.4 - 0.8 are consistent with the

Select target paragraph3