title: Environmental radioactivity: experience from the 20th century--trends and issues for the 21st century.
abstract: Environmental radioactivity has been an important area of research throughout the 20th century, with recent work having been stimulated mainly by: (i) the remarkable power of radionuclides as tracers of the rates and mechanisms of environmental processes and (ii) the potential health implications of contaminant radionuclides in the environment. A review is presented of salient aspects of environmental radioactivity, including consideration of tracer applications, sources and environmental impact of anthropogenic radionuclides, radioactive waste disposal and future exploitation of nuclear energy.
authors.affiliation: Scottish Universities Research and Reactor Centre, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride, UK. a.mackenzie@surrc.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: MacKenzie
mesh_terms: D003359:Cosmic Radiation; D005544:Forecasting; D009689:Nuclear Warfare; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D011850:Radioactive Waste; D011868:Radioisotopes; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis; D018505:Waste Management
chemical_list: D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D011850:Radioactive Waste; D011868:Radioisotopes; D011886:Radon