Abstract
A chemical technique has been developed for concentrating traces of fallout Cesium-137 in sea water (and in sewage) so that assay can be made rapidly with a gamma ray spectrometer. Measurements have been made of Cs-137 in surface waters of the eastern Pacific, especially near shore, and data are compared with fallout contamination reported elsewhere. Also a contemporary vertical profile of Cs-137 activity in the Pacific is given. The behavior of fallout activity in a large modern sewage treatment plant and in its oceanic outfall are discussed, and estimates are made of the probable effects in coastal areas.
