Preliminary Studies of the Persistence of Tritium and 14C in the Pacific Proving Ground

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Abstract
The results of a preliminary survey of detonation environments in the Pacific Proving Grounds indicate that residual tritium and 14C are present in relatively high concentrations in soil materials of the detonation sites at times up to 12 years after the event. Exchange of soil-bound tritium with the available soil water takes place at a slow but significant rate and tritium is detectable in plants growing in the detonation environments. 14C is also elevated in the terrestrial plants. The basis for the elevated 14C is not implicit in these preliminary data. Tritium and 14C are also present in elevated concentrations in marine organisms. However, due to the high rate of exchange of the lagoon waters with the open sea, these elevated concentrations are highly localized in the vicinity of the detonation site (Mike Crater).

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