In 2008, 439 nuclear power plants were in operation in 31 countries accounting for 15% of the world’s electricity production1 and as of January 1999, a total of 2532 nuclear detonations have been performed.2 Many sites involved in the production, reprocessing and storage of nuclear materials have contributed to environmental radionuclide release through discharge, spillage, accidents and testing facilities. A summary of such sites and their associated

contamination issues is given in Table 1. The number of nuclear facilities is expected to increase in the near future as governments renew their interest in nuclear power due its reduced CO2 emissions and the energy security it provides when compared to other forms of electricity generation.