THE OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF RADIOACTIVE NON-FISSION
PRODUCTS IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF THE PACIFIC PROVING GROUND
Introduction
After
the
detonation of
the Castle series of
nuclear
devices in 1954, fission product chemical separations were made
on several organs and tissues of yellow snapper (Lutianus vaigi-
ensis) and mullet (Neomyxis Chaptalli and Chelon vaigiensis)
collected at Edna Island, Eniwetok Atoll, on July 3, 1954.
In
addition, the levels .of cad in the samples were determined.
The total activities contributed by non-fission products were
as follows:
Per cent of activity contributed by
non-fission products
Organism
Bone
Muscle
Skin
Liver
Gut
Yellow snapper
99.0
98 .0
86.2
95.8
50.5
Mullet
75.3
95.1
83.8
91.4
These results, in conjunction with
radioactive decay data,
0
8 -absorption and
indicated the presence of large amounts
of non-fission isotopes in the fish samples.
In addition, the
levels of non-fission products were higher in each instance in
the carnivorous fish (yellow snapper) than in the detritus feeder