algae were selectively absorbing fission products released by the nuclear
detonations.
Other objectives were to determine the geographical distri-
bution of radioactivity and to determine the variability in the levels of
radioactivity in the same species.
METHODS
The following collections of algae were made: (1) samples of several
genera of algae and of sea water from the intertidal zones at Belle Island
(Fig. 1) at varying intervals of time before and after a nuclear detonation on an adjacent island; (2) samples of three genera of algae in
the shallow water near eight other islands of the atoll at approximately
monthly intervals; (3) samples of algae and bottom sand from the deeper
waters of the lagoon off seven islands.
The samples were prepared at the Eniwetok Marine Biological Labo-
ratory for further processing at the Laboratory of Radiation Biology, University of Washington, Seattle.
The samples of algae were dry ashed for
counting in an internal gas-flow counting chamber.
The methods used in
the preparation of samples for radioassay are described in this Labora-
tory's report, UWFL-43() and the procedures for counting are outlined
in wrei6”) (UWFL-33).
The samples of sea water were placed on
1 1/2-inch stainless steel planchets and dried under an infrared lamp