The environmental behaviour of radium

This publication aims to provide IAEA Member States with information for use in the radiological assessment of accidental releases and routine discharges of radium in the environment. It covers radium behaviour in the terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments. The information presented is relevant to the transfer of radionuclides through food chains to both humans and non-human biota. The corresponding remedial options and regulating aspects are also within the scope of this publication. Additionally, applications of radium isotopes to environmental issues are discussed in order to alert readers to studies that use radium isotopes as tracers of environmental processes. The information could also serve as a basis for remediation planning and identification of optimal remediation strategies in areas contaminated by radium.