18

RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION OF AREAS IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN FROM NUCLEAR TESTS

C. Soils

Tables 19 and 20 show the analyses by
HASL.$
The data clearly indicate the major portion
of the activity is to be found in the top three
inches of the soil. As suggested in chapter ITI,
Ce!#—-Pr™ and Ru'*-Rh' make up muchof the
fixed contaminationin thesoils at periods of one
year and more after the fallout occurred.

Graph 3 shows the general levels of activity
in the soils of Kabelle and Labaredj Islands of
Rongelap Atolls, as reported by AFL?
Tables 15, 16 and 17 report the activity in
different soils at different depths for the Febtuary 1955 survey,’ and Table 18 for the February 1956 survey * by NRDL.

Table 15—Beta Activity in Core Samples of Soil (NRDL)*
Beta Activiry (4-/min/g)

No. oF
CoREs

IsLaND

1-IN. INCREMENT OF SOIL CORING
Ist

Likiep--.....------.-.-------..2-----------

1

2d

140

3d
40

40|

Utirik......-----------en econo eee eee nee

3

1, 250

480

240

Rongelap.__..-.----.-.------------+--+ eee

4

6, 600

2, 100

570

Busch__--_...-----22-----2- ee eee eee
Enlaetok.._--2-----1-2----neeeeeeee eee nee
Labaredj....----.-------------------------Kabelle_._..-.-----.----------------------Lomuilal....-.----.---------+---------- eee
Gojen.__-..-------------------- +--+

6, 400
18,000]
23,000]
3, 600
20, 000
4, 000

3

4, 000

740

250

170

35,000]
16,000

40,000}

7, 800

Beta
Activiry (6-/
min/g), DEPTH oF
Som
Oto in.

1
4
6
2
3

96, 000

3, 100

Gojen--..- nn ennen--ee eee eee nee
Bikar-...-.---------2 22-2 e een ee

1
1

348, 000
8, 400

12, 400
90

Eniwetak....-.---------------..-

i

12, 600

240

*Collettions made about February 1, 1955.
1, 1055.

3, 000

10,500]

2, 000

100

ith

8th

$th

|.-.-_2---_|_-.---.----|--.-.-----[----------

160

60

230

160

200

10,000}

10,000

1, 800

1, 100

26 |.-..-.----

150

50

6, 800 |..-_------[-------..-|---- fee eee
26,000|
12,000;
11,000 [--._....--[-.-.----.19,000 |_.-....-.-|------.---}----.-----|e-- lee
2, 000
2, 300
180 J._.....--_|----14, 000
1,000 |....------J.-.-------]---------4, 400
3,400 |--....----]---.------]------120

4,700 |---..-----]----------

100

27 |----..----]----------

160

100 |...-....--

Table 17—Beta Activity in Soil Samples Taken.
From Exposed Soil Profiles (NRDL)*
BEta ACTIVITY (6-/min/g), IsLaND

DEPTH (IN.)

Rongelap| Labaredj|

Kabelle

Kabelle

72, 000
6, 800
1, 700
130

93, 000
2, 900
400
2, 300

Kabelle

1lto 5 in.

Likfep.......---..----.--.-----..Utirik.._.....-----~..---------.-Rongelap.....-.------..-.-----..Enisetok....---.----.---..---..-.
Labaredj...-..-----...-------2a08

90 j--i.w eee
960
550
8, 900
800
48, 000
640
85, 000
1, 300

6

13,000]

6th

Data reported as of March 1, 1055.

Table 16—Summary of Beta Activity in Gross
Samples of Soil (NRDL)*

FKabelle

420

7, 200
4,300
29,000}
10,000
26, 000
8, 000

2{

NUMBER
OF SAMPLES

NDA

130

7, 100
24,000
33,000]
30,000]
48, 000
37, 000

Eniwetak.-...------------------------- ++.

IsLaNnD

NDA),

10, 800
57,000}
42,000}
43,000}
53, 000
37, 0CO

2|

(8) No detectable activity.
*Collections made about February 1, 1955.

6th

1
1]
1|
3]
3
1

Lukuen.....-------------- 2-22 e eee eee

Bikar. ..._..---.------------+---------- ee

4th

Data reported as of March

Uh
3 2...--------a
6_.-..-2----2----9. +...

12,400
1, 500
110
140

12_.-.------- 2... NDA(*)

130,000
380
950
770

160

40

18__..-----.-.-...70
120
70
24.20. n |e eee
40
100
30.2 eee |---| eee eee [eee eee
36__..--.-.--.---.-[----...---[----..----|---.- =e
40. een beeen eee [enn ee en fee nee
* No detectable activity.
*Collections made about February 1, 1955.
1, 1955.

580

97, 000
440
130
240

140

70
90
70
NDA
NDA
|---...---60 |----.-....
40 |.--...----

Data reported as of March

Select target paragraph3