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Gentlemen, keep in mind that we start at 11:15 with the Coast 

 Guard — and I recognize the gentlemen from Ohio. 



Mr. MosHER. Mr. Chairman, my question obviously comes from my 

 own profound ignorance of these subjects. Mr. Joseph, you speak at the 

 top of page 2, of your interest in the effect of radioactivity which has 

 been or may be released in the marine environment. 



How do you compare the characteristics of the marine environment 

 in that regard with the world's atmospheric environment. 



Are they different? 



Mr. Joseph. I think we are speaking of two different magnitudes 

 on the rate of movement after deposition. 



In our division of biology and medicine, we have a fallout studies 

 group, which is another part of the environmental studies conducted 

 bytheAEC. 



This group is concerned with the fission products ejected into the 

 atmosphere, and later as the fallout is returned to the surface of earth. 



The fallout comes to the oceans as it comes to the land surface, in 

 proportion to their relative areas. So, the oceans covering TO percent 

 of the earth's surface get, roughly, TO percent of the fallout. 



Mr. MosHER. You have to consider these two environments as a 

 system in their interrelationships. 



Mr. Joseph. Yes; and we work closely with the fallout studies 

 group. 



Mr. MosHER. Does radioactivity travel much faster in the air than 

 it does in the water ? 



Mr. Joseph. In terms of velocity, in terms of deposition, yes. Radio- 

 activity deposited on the land surface, moves in a different way from 

 that deposited on the sea. On land it more or less is selectively absorbed 

 or caught on the soil materials themselves and then enters the eco- 

 systems relatively slowly. 



Once it hits the water, we think it goes into solution, quite rapidly. 

 And this is part of our problem, to find how this material behavior 

 changes with time — once it hits the water it almost immediately be- 

 comes incorporated as part of the chemical system, which then inter- 

 acts geochemically with the sea water. It can precipitate out or it can 

 go into a sort of a static or dynamic equilibrium with the chemicals 

 there, and become incorporated in the organisms. 



Oceanography is still in an infant stage. We are trying to study 

 these things in a systematic way. I hope I have answered your question. 



Mr. MosHBR. It is a fascinating subject, but we do lack time to dis- 

 cuss it further here. 



Mr. Karth. Would the gentleman yield ? 



Mr. MosHER. Yes. 



Mr. Karth. Which is more dangerous, the radioactivity in the 

 water, or in the atmosphere and soil ? 



Mr. Joseph. I don't think we have enough information to answer, 

 but I think our interest has been focused on the land situation, because 

 this is in closer contact to man and his daily activity. 



In terms of concentration of activity in the sea, we don't think we 

 have any dangerous situation by the fallout that has been produced 

 so far. 



Mr. Karth. But all the land use residue is dumped in the ocean. 



Mr. Joseph. Could I take just a minute to give a little background 

 on the waste disposal business ? 



