Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) found in liquid wastes from hydraulic fracturing are an emerging environmental health concern. The heavily drilled Marcellus Shale, for example, contains isotopes of radium, polonium, and lead. However, the few studies that have focused on NORM in fracking wastewater (produced fluids) have reported on a single element—radium. In this issue of EHP...

The Uranium (U) decay series provides the most important isotopes of elements Radium (Ra), Radon (Rn) and Polonium (Po) with half-lives of 1600 years, 3.8 days and 140 days, respectively. Although the chemical structure of radium is very similar to calcium, the fact that it produces a radioactive gas (Radon) complicates its handling in the laboratory and natural environment. The average concent...

toodeh party was one of the organized parties in the first days of iran's islamic revolution. this party began its cooperation with the revolutionary forces after 16th polonium and nooraldin kianoori's election as its first secretary. its support from imam khomeini's leadership and the revolution was based on its analysis and understanding of the socio-political forces' posi...