- 57 Radiochemical Analyses

Radiochemica) analyses of some of the samples collected at Rongelap
Atoll have been completed and the data are partially reported to show the
trends of distribution.

Detailed chemical] studies on the samples collected

should be forthcoming from the samples sent to the New York Operations
Office” and from other samples being studied in detail at the

Applied Fish-

eries Laboratory.

The procedures used for the strontium and cerium determinations were
the same as those described in UWFL-42.

Analysis for cesium followed

the method outlined in the Los Alamos report LA- 1566 11
Data for the analyses are given in Appendix Hand are summarized in
text Tables 14 and 15.

;

Radiostr ntium (Tables 14 and 15).

The Sr

90°°

values for food plants,

except coconuts, collected in Octuber 1955 approximate the theoretical proportion of mixed fission products activity!

2

at 1.7 years, 4 percent.

Coco-

nuts ccntained 0.1 percent gr2° with appropriate correction for time of
collection.

This is roughly in agreement with values reported in UWFL-42

and USNRDL-454, assuming that Table 3.1, page 14, in the latter report
includes radioactivity from Y 90

with sr2?,

No sr°9 was found in the soft tissues of pelagic or reef fish or clams.
Analysis of a single sample of bonito bone yielded a maximum Sr9° level of
* Letters of October 26 and November 9, 1955 from Allyn H. Seymour,

Applied Fisheries Laboratory, to Merrill Eisenbud, New York Operations.

** sr¥0 values given in text and tables do not include radioactivity due to the
Y°~

daughter.

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