Branch, Division of Biology and Medicine, Atomic Energy 

 Commission. 



7/ 

 Mr. T. J. Wehe,— Martin Marietta Corporation, Electronic 



Systems and Products Division, Baltimiore, Maryland. 



^ •.•' S>' 



'fi I* 'V 



ANONYMOUS: If various radioisotopes are concentrated by plank- 

 ton and other biological systems, what happens to the radioisotopes 

 in organic compounds after the organisms die? (Answered on 

 p. 229.) Has a means been developed to sample such compounds? 



DR. I. E. WALLEN (AEC): No completely adequate means has 

 been found to samiple compounds released by an organism on its 

 death in the ocean. Studies are underway to learn the nature of 

 the compounds and the types of recycling that may result in recon- 

 centration of radioactive materials. Investigators at Texas 

 A & M have isolated organic compounds from ocean waters and 

 several investigators are working on the utilization of compounds 

 in solution. We need to have field data of the nature you suggest. 



MR. GEORGE L. BARNARD (Washington Technological Associates, 

 Inc.): Is there an "on site" deep sea materials testing program in 

 progress and when will results be available to us? 



MR. J. M. SNODGRASS (SIO): The only truly deep sea testing 

 station that I know of is being established at Port Hueneme, 

 California. 1 would be pleased to refer you to Mr. Kenneth O. 

 Gray, Project Scientist, Materials Division, U. S. Naval Civil 

 Engineering Laboratory, Port Hueneme, California, who is in 

 charge of the program. Unfortunately, I cannot tell anything about 

 the time scale as to when results would be released, but I suggest 

 you contact Mr. Gray directly. 



Another group interested in testing materials in the deep sea 

 is the one at Santa Barbara operated by General Motors, and known 

 as Defense Systems Division, Santa Barbara Laboratories. I would 

 be pleased to refer you to Dr. J. Frederick Dubus of that company. 

 They are concerned with the environmental testing of plastics. 



J7/ Formerly with Special Projects Office, U. S. Navy Hydrographic 

 Office. 



236 



