Radioactivity in human milk

A brief introduction outlines the sources of radionuclides in the environment, their diffusion and transfer to different environmental compartments and their pathways to individuals; definitions of the main quantities and measurement units used in the study are included. A review is given on published data concerning the radioactive contamination of human milk after the Chernobyl accident. The authors' investigation on breast milk contamination in Italy in the same period is discussed together with an examination of the natural radioactive content. Finally, possible future developments and prospects of the research on this issue are explored.