ABSTRACT
The toxicology of ionizing radiation is a highly specialized area of toxicology of substantial breadth and depth. It is obvious that it cannot be covered in great detail in a single textbook chapter. Nonetheless, recognition that life exists within a sea of ionizing radiation of natural origin and that a number of important medical and industrial applications of radiation may result in exposure of humans and other life forms to radiation doses above the background requires that welleducated toxicologists be informed about basic concepts of radiation toxicology. Moreover, many of those basic concepts are also relevant to understanding the toxic effects of nonradioactive agents; to assessing their hazard, exposure, dose, and health risks; and to controlling those health hazards and risks. To meet the needs articulated earlier, the presentation of this chapter is of a survey nature with speci•c and general references provided that will assist the interested reader in obtaining a more detailed understanding of the subject.
