This book focuses on the impacts of anthropogenic radiation on wildlife and ecosystems and provides an in-depth look at the approaches and available tools we can use to gain information about biological effects of radiation in the environment. The nuclear accidents in Chornobyl in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011 focussed the attention of the world on the vulnerability of ecosystems to radiation. In Chornobyl, there still remains an exclusion zone where levels are considered to be too high for people and impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems can still be measured 35 years later. In the area impacted by the Fukushima disaster, intense remediation is still under way at tremendous cost and causing widespread disruption to the environment. That accident impacted the terrestrial and marine ecosystems. In both accidents it became obvious that a radiation protection framework focussing on protection of “humans” (a single species) and using evacuation as a key strategy, was not sufficient to protect the natural environment. The complexity of ecosystems makes developing a protection framework very challenging but in order to even start the process it is vital to gather information about likely impacts of low dose exposures on wildlife and to develop monitoring tools to measure changes over time. This book contains reviews and original research aimed at filling our knowledge gaps about these important areas. Environmental Radiobiology will be a key resource for academics, researchers, and advanced students of Radiobiology, Radioecology, Biology, Ecology, Biomedicine and Research Methods. The chapters included in this book were originally published as a special issue of International Journal of Radiation Biology.

This proceedings volume results from the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on 'Biomarkers of Radiation in the Environment: Robust Tools for Risk Assessment (BRITE)’. The BRITE workshop discussed insights from cancer research, epigenetics, non-human and human risk assessment, since many of the state-of-the-art biomarkers being developed for humans deserve consideration for environmental applications and vice versa. Sessions were very wide-ranging covering methods, mechanisms, cross disciplinary application and regulation. The chapters in this book have been grouped into five major themes that were covered by the BRITE workshop: · Techniques for biomarker development · Low-dose effect mechanisms · Biomarkers for risk evaluation · Biomarkers in wildlife · Biomarker use and responses Each chapter has been written independently and reflects the views of the chapter author(s). Therefore, the readers can form their own balanced view of the different perspectives on biomarkers of radiation in the environment. Given the breadth of topics covered and the state-of-the-art perspectives shared by leading experts in their respective fields, this book should form a valuable resource for anyone with an interest in how biomarkers can be used to improve our understanding of radiation in the environment and its potential impacts.

This open access textbook focuses on the various aspects of radiobiology. The goal of radiobiological research is to better understand the effects of radiation exposure at the cellular and molecular levels in order to determine the impact on health. This book offers a unique perspective, by covering not only radiation biology but also radiation physics, radiation oncology, radiotherapy, radiochemistry, radiopharmacy, nuclear medicine, space radiation biology & physics, environmental and human radiation protection, nuclear emergency planning, molecular biology and bioinformatics, as well as the ethical, legal and social considerations related to radiobiology. This range of disciplines contributes to making radiobiology a broad and rather complex topic. This textbook is intended to provide a solid foundation to those interested in the basics and practice of radiobiological science. It is a learning resource, meeting the needs of students, scientists and medical staff with an interest in this rapidly evolving discipline, as well as a teaching tool, with accompanying teaching material to help educators.

This book provides a thorough yet concise introduction to quantitative radiobiology and radiation physics, particularly the practical and medical application. Beginning with a discussion of the basic science of radiobiology, the book explains the fast processes that initiate damage in irradiated tissue and the kinetic patterns in which such damage is expressed at the cellular level. The final section is presented in a highly practical handbook style and offers application-based discussions in radiation oncology, fractionated radiotherapy, and protracted radiation among others. The text is also supplemented by a Web site.