From the uranium, thorium and potassium in rocks and soils to the cosmic rays reaching the ground, natural radioactivity shapes the environment we live in. Radon, a gas produced by the decay of uranium, is the main contributor to public radiation exposure and a major indoor health hazard. On top of this natural background, artificial radionuclides released by nuclear activities, accidents and legacy contamination leave a long-lasting footprint on environmental health.

Radioactivity surveys are needed to characterize environmental radiation, assess exposure and guide remediation. They drive the development of new detectors, portable instruments and analytical methods. Radionuclides are also used as tracers of groundwater flow, surface water–groundwater interactions, geological processes and ecosystem dynamics at different scales. Monitoring is becoming more autonomous and data-driven, with AI-based data analysis, robotic platforms for mapping complex sites and UAVs carrying sensors for fast, large-scale and 3D surveys.

The session covers all aspects of environmental radioactivity, including geological surveys, mineral exploration, atmospheric and groundwater contamination, radiological hazards in building materials, and radon hazard and risk assessment. We particularly welcome studies using natural and fallout radionuclides as environmental tracers, work on ecosystem dynamics and impacts on public health, and contributions on Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM). Studies presenting methodological advances in measurement, modelling and mapping approaches and novel instrumentation for radioactivity monitoring are also encouraged.