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We carried out radiotracer experiments on the behaviour of 252Cf in the marine environment. The particulate fraction of californium in sea water approached 45% after four days. Californium rapidly adsorbed onto marine coastal and deep-sea sediments with Kd values from 1.4 X 10(4) to greater than or equal to 1 X 10(5). The concentration of 252Cf in euphausiids reached near-equilibrium factors of 3 X 10(2) in water after one week; in contrast, the assimilation from food was very low. Excreted fecal pellets, molts and zooplankton carcasses are potentially important vectors for californium re-distribution in the oceans.