121 



ing program about 45 devices were exploded over a period of 8 to 

 10 years. 



The least contaminated organisms found in our expeditioji were 

 the fish. They have a way of renewing their stocks. They are recharged 

 and mixed with populations from the outside environment, that is, the 

 environment outside the testing grounds. 



Some radioactivity resides in the soils. It has decayed to fairly 

 low levels, and is more or less cycled more slowly out of that eco- 

 system — that ecological environment. 



In answer to your question, I think fish adapt fairly well, but I 

 say this advisedly knowing that I don't have all the information by 

 far. 



Mr. Edwards. There is a lot more research to be done ? 



Mr. Joseph. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Edwards. Thank you. 



Mr. Hanna. Would the gentleman yield ? 



Is there a possibility that there are peculiar environments in which 

 there is more susceptibility to buildup radiation conditions than in 

 the environment of ocean as a whole ? 



Mr. Joseph. Only if there are some unusual physical or chemical 

 chai'acteristics of this system which will tend to selectively pull out 

 the radioactivity. 



Unless there is something peculiar about the environment, prob- 

 ably not. 



In some cases where there is a lack of a normally available trace 

 substance, organisms adapt to it. And then if you provide a con- 

 taminant which they could use, they can build it up to quite high 

 concentrations. 



We are looking for these anomalies as part of our program. 



Mr. Hanna. Thank you. 



Mr. Lennon. Off the record. 



( Discussion off the record. ) 



Mr. Lennon". May I have one question ? 



On page 3 you say : 



AEO contractors have made significant contributions over the past several 

 years by way of developing instruments and techniques for identifying and 

 measuring nutrient cycles and trace substances necessary to life in the sea — 

 also to distinguish living from non-living organic substances. 



This is what I wanted to ask you about : 



An automatic analyzer system has been developed to determine nitrates, 

 phosphates, silicates and chlorophyll automatically and continuously on ship- 

 board while the vessel is underway. 



Xow, do I understand that instruments have been developed which 

 will permit the identification of phosphate, silicate, or chlorophyll 

 while the ship is in process of moving over the seas bed. That is what 

 you state here on page 3 ? 



Mr. Joseph. Yes, sir. Let me add to that statement a little bit to 

 clarify it — I hope. 



Water is taken right near the surface of the sea. There is no reason 

 why we couldn't put a pipeline on the ship to go deeper and measure 

 in profile. Of course, the deeper you go while the ship is underway, 

 the more mechanical problems you have with the pipeline per se. 



But the water is pumped through a technicon autoanalyzer. It was 

 a device developed in the medical industry for measuring specific sub- 



86-705— 68— pt 1 ^9 



