Environmental Exposure: Radionuclide Contamination

Dear Colleagues,

Radioisotopes of artificial origin, such as the plutonium radioisotopes ¹³⁷Cs, ⁹⁰Sr, and ²⁴¹Am, may be particularly significant here. Authorities carry out environmental monitoring globally. However, there are a number of minor ecosystems that exhibit specific mechanisms of accumulation and transport of the listed isotopes, resulting in relations that often differ from the global. Furthermore, in order to place environmental information and conduct a radiological assessment of the site, naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) are also an important issue. Radionuclides of anthropogenic origin are compared to NORMs to gauge their relative abundance to the background, which, when combined, shows the actual state of the environment and the level of exposure to ionizing radiation. On the other hand, radioactive elements are present in many soils and rock formations, and consequently in the water that comes into contact with them. The extraction and processing of these resources can expose or concentrate NORMs, causing them to be classified as TENORMs.

Articles on the subject of anthropogenic radioactive elements, their sources, and their use are in high demand—especially radiological environmental contamination on a local and global scale, including monitoring studies of radionuclides, interdisciplinary articles dedicated to the interpretation of environmental processes based on studies of radionuclide content (environmental changes, climate changes, radiometric geochronology, transport of radionuclides, etc.), radiation health risk assessment, and environmental impact assessment of TENORM radionuclides.

However, papers based on measurement methodologies are acceptable if they have clear significance for the behavior of environmental radionuclides. In addition, theoretical approaches connected with the prediction and modelling of radioisotope concentrations are invited for submission.

Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Szarłowicz
Dr. Filip Jedrzejek
Guest Editors

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