and were immediately stored in a deep freeze unit where they
remained until time for processing.
Algae and plants that
were to be used for autoradiographs or as herbarium specimens
were dried and pressed in the field.
All plankton samples,
as well as fish and algal specimens, that were to be used for
identification were preserved in 4 percent formalin.
3.2
Ashing
The samples were ashed and plated in much the same manner
as previously described (AECD- 3446).
was as follows:
(1)
Fish,
Briefly the procedure
invertebrates, birds,
rats and
lend plants were dissected and approximately one-gram samples
of various
tissues were placed upon weighed 13-inch stainless
steel plates.
Wet sample weights depended upon the amount of
tissue available and the activity of the sample as determined
by survey meter at the time of dissection.
The mean sample
.
weight of 145 randomly selected samples was 1.17 2.074 grams.*
(2)
he plates with the wet samples were placed in a drying
oven at 97°-99°9C for 12 to 24 hours.
(3)
They were then
cooled in 8 desiccator and dry weights determined.
(4)
The
plates were next moved to the muffle furnace for about 12
hours, during which time the temperature was gradually raised
to 300°C then more rapidly to a maximum of 550°C, except for
*In this report the value following the mean is the standard
error.
-U-
: