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VY.

RESIDUAL ACTIVITY IN PACIFIC OCEAN

During February-May, 1955, a survey was. made by the Health and

Safety Laboratory of the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission and the Office
of Naval Research (Operation Troll) of the Pacific Ocean extending from
the Marshall Islands westward across the Pacific, northward to Japan,

The Chart represents data on activity found in sea water and
plankton.

Table Forty-two shows some representative data on activity

versus depth of water sample .-°

Tables Forty-three and Forty-four show

representative data for marine life.

10-

Below is a summary of some of their conclusions:
1.

Ser water and plankton samples show the existence of wideBpread low-level activity in the Pacific Ocean. Water

activity ranged from 0-570 d/min/liter and plankton from
3-140 d/min/g wet weight.

2. There is some concentration of the activity in the main current streams, such as the North Equatorial Current.

‘The

highest activity was off the coast of Luzon, averaging 190

d/min/liter down to 600 m (April 1, 1955).

3.

Analyses of fish indicate no activity approaching the
maximum permissible level for foods. The highest activity

in tune fish wes 3.5 d/min/g ash, less than 1 percent of
the permissible level.*

4.

Measurements of plankton activity offer a sensitive indication of activity in the acean.

* Based on 1/10 m.p.c. of that for atomic energy workers.

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S00Z2144

ne

then west to San Francisco. .

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