Show Atomic Fallout Studied in High The effects of atomic fallout in utah is being studied in the primitive area of the high Uinta Mountains A team of University scientists scientists and graduate students un- un under under der the direction of Dr Robert RobertC C Pendleton associate professor SOl sor of biological sciences and director of the Department of Radiological Health have been investigating the accumulation of radioactive Isotopes in mounta mountain in wildlife and in the states state's milk supply for the past seven years A GRADUAL buildup of radioactivity in the high mountain moun- moun mountain tain country is indicated ac ac- ac according cording to Dr Pendleton The mountains are more sus sus- sus susceptible to fallout Dr Pendle Pendle- Pendleton ton states as conditions corn com cornman mon man to the higher elevations precipitate more nuclear fallout from radioactive clouds Read Read- Readings ings on samples range up to 40 times higher than those from lower elevations THE SCIENTISTS have found numerous hot spots created by erosion on over overgrazed grazed water water- watersheds sheds The radioactive Isotopes are washing down into streams reservoirs and irrigation tion ditches Dr Pendleton says and they are accumulating on some poorly draining farms Dr Pendleton has just been awarded a grant to investigate the rate at which the radioactive fall f a 11 o 0 u t strontium ium 90 and cesium is moving moving ing down to utah croplands THE RESEARCH will also center around hot spot dairy farms which have the highest levels of radioactive nuclides in milk soil and vegetation Dr Pendleton is confident the research will lead to develop develop- development ment of farm practices that will lower the amounts of radioactive ive materials entering Utah's milk supply THE UNIVERSITY scientist said there is no reason for un un- un undue due concern over fallout levels at the present time He ex ex- ex explained that milk and other foods produced in Utah are gen less contaminated with with radioactive materials than foods in other states This is be- be because because cause Utah is for the most part parta a dry state and fallout collects primarily at higher elevations |